NCLB on the Campaign Trail by Robert Finnegan

Posted by scary on Feb 19, 2008

So much of our focus in education over the better half of the last decade has come from the No Child Left Behind act adopted under George W. Bush’s administration. 2008 stands to be a decisive year for education changes not only because this controversial federal mandate is now up for re-authorization but because it is a year that will mark the election of a brand new presidential administration.

More than just adding AYP and API to our already overflowing alphabet soup of IEPs, BIPs, RTIs and SSTs, NCLB has sparked passionate debate among politicians, parents, and educators. Some have praised it for raising accountability and setting high standards. Some scorn it for being a federal intrusion in state authority, blaming it for unfairly mandating results without providing adequate funding and resources to meet its goals. Some believe that it has further stunted often marginalized populations such as students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, English language learners, and students in special education. Thankfully, this growing public concern has provided a forum for candidates to address the educational needs of the country. But just where do the candidates vying for their party’s presidential nominations stand on the controversial plan? Most have taken some stand but few have taken a concrete one. On the Democratic side, both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama agree (what a surprise) that in order for NCLB to work, changes must be made to recognize progress school districts make rather than punishing them for not reaching one-size-fits-all standards. They also agree that the federal government should be doing more to provide resources to assist states in reaching the mandate. On the Republican side, John McCain (whose wife is a former special education teacher) acknowledges that NCLB has not reaped intended results but believes it has been a positive step toward raising accountability in school systems. Mike Huckabee has focused some attention on NCLB making the point that overemphasizing math and reading proficiency has perhaps derailed other important areas of education including the arts.

As educators, I think we can all agree that while it is positive that candidates include education somewhere on their priority list, it is time to step up the conversation. When talk of hopeful futures and better tomorrows dribble from their lips, they must make sure to keep in mind who will be making those better tomorrows: the students in today’s classrooms. If they believe that NCLB can work with some changes, exactly what are those changes and how will they be implemented? If they believe that NCLB was a half-baked solution to a complex problem then I hope they plan to spend some time in the kitchen to…well, bake. Districts deserve this. Parents deserve this. Educators deserve this. Most importantly, our students deserve this.

For more information about where candidates stand on NCLB see their individual websites. Also see The National Center for Fair & Open Testing | FairTest.