NCLB Relief
As the deadline for teachers to meet the "highly qualified" provision of the so-called No Child Left Behind law (NCLB) approaches, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has signaled some relief may be available. In a late October letter to state school officials, Spellings said states may be able to extend the deadline for teachers until the end of the 2006–07 school year—one additional year. NEA President Reg Weaver called it a welcome change, considering many of the best prepared states still need more time, but he pointed out that states might not get an answer on the extension until spring, since their request will hinge on January data. With that in mind, he urged the Department to simply extend the deadline for all.
Low Marks for NCLB
The more folks know about NCLB, the less they like it, according to a new PDK-Gallup poll. Of the public school parents who say they're familiar with the law, 27 percent view it favorably and about the same number view it unfavorably. However, of the parents who profess "a great deal" of knowledge about NCLB, just 37 percent like what they see and a whopping 57 percent say it stinks. |
