State Teachers of the Year call for changes in NCLB

At a press conference last Friday at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, a group of this year’s State Teachers of the Year discussed ways No Child Left Behind should be changed to better meet the present needs of the students, parents, teachers, and schools who make up our educational system.

Fifty of the 56 State Teachers of the Year had signed onto a statement offering 10 specific changes to make NCLB more effective.

1. Fully fund all education and assessment programs that are federally mandated.
2. Allow all states to utilize a growth model for measuring individual student achievement over time.
3. Use multiple methods of assessment to evaluate student learning accurately and report the results to the public.
4. Include language that appropriately addresses the unique needs of students with exceptionalities (disabilities as well as gifts and talents) while continuing to set high standards for all students.
5. Provide assessment information to teachers in a timely manner and professional development in effectively utilizing such information, so that it can inform instruction that will improve teaching and learning.
6. Evaluate current sanctions for failing Adequate Yearly Progress and replace them with proven methods of enhancing achievement.
7. Develop and fund programs that promote meaningful parent and family engagement.
8. Modify assessments and set realistic goals for English Language Learners.
9. Ensure every student is taught by a highly effective teacher who receives ongoing professional development.
10. Include programs for school leadership development that addresses the need for administrators to become instructional leaders who conduct regular classroom observations and provide productive feedback to teachers.

Watch for an article featuring interviews with State Teachers of the Year in the June/July issue of Reading Today.