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Congresswoman Moore leads charge for change to ESEA
Posted: 7/16/2010 12:05:44 PM
Wisconsin Congresswoman Gwen Moore is leading the charge to demand positive change to the nation’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act (No Child Left Behind).
As Congress works on the reauthorization of the federal education Act, last reauthorized in 2002, Representative Moore is asking other lawmakers to sign onto a letter urging key reforms. The current law’s reliance on state standardized assessments to gauge student success, and its direct links between those assessments and accountability measures, must be addressed, she says.
Moore’s letter calls for the use of a continuous improvement plan that relies on multiple indicators. A new framework should be based on the following goals:
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Recognize areas of growth in all schools and states — and recognize that all students can learn and all schools can improve.
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Identify schools and programs that may offer innovative approaches or platforms for other schools so that promising practices can be identified and evaluated.
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Provide feedback to schools on areas of possible growth or improvement (including support in one or more areas, if warranted).
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Identify which schools are either “persistently low-achieving” or demonstrate “significant educational opportunity gaps” in order to direct intensive resources and intervention supports to them.”
The current law’s undue emphasis on federally mandated, narrow student assessments as its primary accountability yardstick has led to unfortunate consequences, recognized by educators in Wisconsin and across the country. For example: pressure on teachers to teach to the test, a focus solely on math and reading at the expense of other subjects, the mislabeling and sanctioning of schools based on only on one test score, and providing inadequate funding and support for schools that are struggling.
Read the entire letter here.
Tell Congress to craft an ESEA reauthorization bill so all students can succeed.