NEA: Delegates Call for Changes to Fundamentally Flawed No Child Left Behind

Delegates Call for Changes to Fundamentally Flawed No Child Left Behind

NEA delegates approve strategic plan for change; release survey showing dissatisfaction

ORLANDO—Delegates to the 2006 National Education Association Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly approved a comprehensive, multipronged strategy that puts educators at the forefront of improving public education, and calls for much needed changes to the so-called No Child Left Behind Act as it nears expiration in 2007.

"This is a critical time in the history of public education," NEA President Reg Weaver said. "We have lived with the negative consequences of a fundamentally flawed law for almost five years, and now our members are saying it’s time for a change. And no one is more qualified to bring real improvement to public education than the 2.8 million members of NEA."

The comprehensive strategy approved by delegates encourages members to lobby Congress to support meaningful reform of NCLB. It calls for an increase in education funding and a decrease in the number of children per classroom in America’s schools. The plan also calls for using multiple measures to assess student achievement.

"Today's vote is a significant first step toward winning support from lawmakers so that America's children can compete in our global society with 21st century skills and toward reviving enthusiasm for teaching and learning in public school classrooms," Weaver said.

The NEA framework for ESEA reauthorization is driven by the criteria for great public schools developed over a yearlong project by a special committee. The committee met with thousands of education professionals; independent policy experts; and education partners and organizations from across the country.

The criteria for great public schools the committee developed include:

Quality programs and services that meet the full range of all children’s needs so that they come to school every day ready and able to learn.

High expectations and standards with a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum for all students.

Quality conditions for teaching and lifelong learning.

A qualified, caring, diverse and stable workforce.

Shared responsibility for appropriate school accountability by stakeholders at all levels.

Parental and community involvement and engagement.

Adequate, equitable and sustainable funding.

"This is a call to action for everyone who cares about children and the future of America," Weaver said. "We will let nothing stop us in our efforts to ensure that public school employees have the tools and resources they need to do the important job of preparing our children to live productive and successful lives."

The vote of the delegates comes on the heels of a survey commissioned by NEA to assess member attitudes about NCLB. The survey found that NEA members have negative views of NCLB and want NEA to work to change the law. The survey showed that NEA members believe that NCLB has not improved public education because of inadequate funding, the punitive nature of the law and the sole reliance on standardized testing to measure student achievement. Other findings of the survey include:

More than two-thirds, 69 percent, of members surveyed disapprove of NCLB, with just under a small majority, 49 percent, strongly disapproving.

As members have become more exposed to NCLB, their views have soured. Approval of NCLB has dropped from 40 percent in 2003 to 29 percent currently. At the same time, disapproval rose from 56 percent in 2003 to a current 69 percent.

Fifty-seven percent of members want to see major changes in NCLB, 21 percent favor making minor changes, 17 want total repeal and only 4 percent want to keep the Act as it is.

"If NCLB was a standardized test, our members would give it a failing grade," Weaver said. "And by using the same Adequate Yearly Progress model that the law mandates, NCLB would be subject to restructuring."

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The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 2.8 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.