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A list of Wisconsin schools and school districts not meeting arbitrary standards of the new federal education law is meaningless and yet another example of federal politicians' interference in teachers' ability to educate children, WEAC President Stan Johnson said Friday (September 17, 2004).
Johnson was reacting to the latest release of a list of schools that did not conform to the "adequate yearly progress" requirements of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), often referred to as the "No Child Left Behind" law.
The list shows that 124 Wisconsin schools and 31 school districts were notified that they missed one or more "adequate yearly progress" indicators for the 2003-04 school year.
"This list of schools not meeting so-called adequate
yearly progress does not help teachers and education support professionals
do what really helps children learn," Johnson said. "Everyone
supports high achievement and accountability, but the ESEA's rigid standards
do not truly evaluate or improve student performance. "
Johnson said the "one-size-fits-all" law
does not provide what is proven to help children learn: quality teaching,
smaller classes, more parental involvement, and up-to-date books and
materials.
Johnson cautioned against labeling schools that missed
adequate yearly progress under the law as failing.
"Schools may be on the list because they missed
in only one of 25 areas," Johnson said. "In fact, most schools
met a majority of the requirements. Today's list makes the case for
Congress to fix and fully fund this law so that it can improve student
performance and create great schools for every child."
Johnson noted that several experimental schools promoted
by supporters of the ESEA are on the list.
"Two virtual charter schools and several charters that are not part of their local school districts are named," he said. "The very schools held up as examples of education reform are not meeting the standards."
Department of Public Instruction news release
Posted September 17, 2004