Tired of Test Scores Running the Show? Call Congress Now!

Reblogged from mea.org

Educators who want a voice in the sweeping new federal law replacing No Child Left Behind have a chance now to get involved – and it’s urgent that they do.

New regulations under consideration are being opposed by NEA and other education advocates as a return – or worsening – of the old test-and-punish philosophy schools have endured for the past 20 years under NCLB.

NEA is encouraging members to provide feedback on the regulations before an Aug. 1 deadline.

The new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is undergoing a process known as rule-making in which the U.S. Department of Education (USED) proposes the nuts and bolts details that fill in the new law’s broad strokes.

Proposed school “accountability” regulations issued by the USED and Education Secretary John King in May have led to widespread dissatisfaction among education advocates and even some members of Congress responsible for passing ESSA.

In part, the promise of ESSA was the flexibility it returned to states, encouraging schools to be evaluated on multiple measures, part of the so-called “opportunity dashboard” approach advocated by NEA members during years of lobbying for the new law.

The idea is to allow states to take a broader view of “quality” by measuring a variety of factors, such as whether schools offer a menu of engaging electives, Advanced Placement classes, strong parent engagement, full-time counselors, nurses and librarians, and early learning programs.

However, the rules proposed by USED would require states to assign every school a “summative” rating – such as an A-F label – where ESSA had no such mandate. And the summative rating would have to give test scores “much greater” weight than other measures of school quality.

In addition, a requirement that states identify and intervene in schools with test scores in the bottom five percent has been criticized as more of the same. ESSA allows states to determine how to identify low-performing schools.

One of the architects of the plan, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) offered a warning to Secy. King on the subject of accountability: “I am disappointed that the draft regulation seems to include provisions that the Congress considered-and expressly rejected. If the final regulation does not implement the law the way Congress wrote it, I will introduce a resolution under the Congressional Review Act to overturn it.”

In addition, school leaders across the country are worried about rushed timelines identified by the USED and Secretary King for implementation of ESSA. In the proposed regulations, schools would be required to collect performance data in the upcoming 2016-17 year for identification of schools needing “comprehensive support” for 2017-18.

However, Congressional leaders have indicated an interest in making 2016-17 a transition year, with 2017-18 as the first year of data collection and 2018-19 as the first year of intervention in underperforming schools.

It’s important for our members to get involved now – as the new educational landscape is forming.Provide your comments to USED today!

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