Lawmakers Failing Milwaukee's Schoolchildren, Johnson Says
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).
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:
- Backing away from the state’s commitment to fund two-thirds
of public school costs.
- Reducing Governor Doyle’s budget plan to increase support for
the SAGE class size reduction program, 4-year-old kindergarten and
school transportation aid.
- Reducing the allowable per-pupil spending increase from the promised
$248 for the 2005-06 school year and $252 for 2006-07, to $120 and
$100, respectively.
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