The Core Knowledge Blog wanted to know “Will NCLB Be Reauthorized?” A bunch of folks responded. My take:
“Of course [it will be reauthorized]. NCLB is merely the latest iteration of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, the cornerstone of federal investment and involvement in K-12 schooling. Despite all the rhetoric there is little appetite to actually walk away from that. Instead, the debate today is about what the law should look like and what it should do. In the 1994 reauthorization the federal government made standards-based reform a part of federal policy and the 2001 reauthorization built on those changes. No one argues that No Child shouldn’t be changed and it has problems that were foreseen and unforeseen in 2001 but the debate is about when change it, how to change it, and specific changes aside, at a very core level about whether we are serious about school improvement or not.”
Well they definitely should not change the name. No child left behind has such a wonderful ring to it. How well it lives up to that name is truly debatable. It is hard to for me to understand the logic that if a school is doing poorly let’s cut their funds. Maybe it is that they need more in order to provide the students what they need. Also, to motivate staff to perform at their highest level at all times.