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Ninety-eight percent of Wisconsin's schools - and all but one of the state's 426 school districts - met the "adequate yearly progress" (AYP) standard last year under the federal government's so-called No Child Left Behind law, the Department of Public Instruction announced Tuesday (June 14, 2005).
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What is the ESEA? The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is the main federal education law, describing federal requirements for the nation's public schools, most of which receive some form of aid under the statute, PL 107-110. ESEA was first enacted in 1965, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. It is revised every five to seven years. The latest revision, passed by Congress in 2001 and signed into law by President Bush in 2002, implements dramatic changes to federal education laws. The Bush administration refers to the revision as the "No Child Left Behind" law, but critics say that description is very misleading. The law is extremely controversial, largely because it strongly emphasizes standardized tests that rob school districts and teachers of control over their classrooms and the content of their educational offerings. Rather than providing support to help schools succeed, the law emphasizes punitive measures against schools that fail to meet what many believe are unreasonable requirements. Also, critics say the law is severely underfunded, making it nearly impossible for many schools to meet its standards. |
Preliminary data show that 51schools and one school district - Milwaukee - were notified that they missed one or more AYP indicator for the 2004-05 school year. (A list of schools is available on the DPI Web site.)
“Milwaukee’s public schools are not failing," WEAC President Stan Johnson said in response to the announcement. "State and federal lawmakers are failing Milwaukee’s school children."
Johnson noted that the federal government has underfunded its Elementary and Secondary Education Act - also known as the No Child Left Behind law - by $39 billion so far, and the federal government funds only 17% of special education costs despite a promise to fund 40%.
Wisconsin lawmakers, likewise, are failing to support public schools, he said.
In the current state budget debate, he said, Republican legislative leaders are:
Johnson said the federal government's strategy of listing schools that don't meet the so-called adequate yearly progress "does not help our great teachers and education support professionals do what really helps children learn."
"Everyone supports high achievement and accountability, but NCLB’s standards do not truly evaluate or improve student performance," he said. "This list and the law that mandates it do nothing to provide what is proven to help children learn in Wisconsin’s great schools: quality teaching, smaller classes, more parental involvement, and up-to-date books and materials.
“The AYP list is built on a foundation of broken promises, doublespeak, political rhetoric and grandstanding," he said. "And none of it has helped a single child in the Milwaukee learn or done anything to help create great schools in Milwaukee or anywhere else.”
Resource page on the ESEA law
DPI
news release on the AYP
Posted June 14, 2005