NEA: Wisconsin Lawmakers Follow Congress in Discussing Future of NCLB

MADISON -- On the heels of the recent Congressional hearing to discuss a draft of the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act, the chairman of the Senate Education Committee of the Wisconsin General Assembly held a hearing today to discuss the impact of NCLB on Wisconsin students and schools.

The meeting was called by Senate Education Committee Chairman John Lehman, a former educator in the Racine School District. While applauding school districts and the Wisconsin Department of Instruction for attempting to operate under the five-year-old law, Lehman stopped short of saying the law has achieved its original intent.

NEA's Becky Pringle and WEAC's Mary Bell

Becky Pringle, right, chair of NEA's ESEA Advisory Committee, and WEAC President Mary Bell testify before the Wisconsin Senate Education Committee. Watch video of their testimony. (22:33) Photo by Bill Hurley.

Witnesses included Becky Pringle, chair of the National Education Association Elementary and Secondary Education Advisory Committee; Libby Burmaster, Wisconsin State Superintendent and head of the Council of Chief State School Officers, as well as representatives from Senator Russ Feingold's office.

"NCLB espouses great goals, but it has not provided states with the funding and flexibility to achieve its purpose, which is to improve achievement and close gaps in student achievement," says Pringle. "In fact, the current draft of the reauthorization bill is even more prescriptive."

Pringle, speaking on behalf of the 3.2 million members of NEA, cited funding deficits in two Wisconsin school districts. "When Kenosha and Milwaukee were splashed on the front pages for not making AYP [adequate yearly progress], what the papers didn't tell you was that NCLB failed to provide millions to both districts," says Pringle.

Burmaster, who also heads the Council of Chief State School Officers, agreed. "We are at the threshold and something must be done to reauthorize this law," says Burmaster. "The law has not worked and we in Wisconsin need to move from leave no child behind to a model that every child must graduate."

Chief among the concerns of NEA and stakeholders is that the law and current draft fails to adequately address the issues like reducing class size, increasing the training and retention of highly qualified teachers, and expanding access to early childhood education.

"Reauthorization of NCLB has to be a collaborative effort between the federal government and school districts. The most recent draft does not allow for this, but if we are serious about educating our children, educators at the local level, lawmakers at the local level, parents and all stakeholders, must have a say," says Pringle.

Representatives from Senator Feingold's office said that the Senator would be releasing a draft of reauthorization language that would address many of the concerns raised by NEA and Wisconsin experts, including the use of growth models and extending the amount of time English language learners have to prepare for exams.

Currently ELL students are given three years before they are tested in English. Feingold's proposal would give ELL students five years to master English. Representatives went on to say that Feingold does not believe that schools will meet the mandates that call for 100 percent of students to perform at proficiency by 2014.

The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators
and students preparing to become teachers.

Wisconsin Lawmakers Follow Congress in Discussing Future of NCLB

National and local experts say draft document is "too prescriptive"

Becky Pringle, right, chair of NEA's ESEA Advisory Committee, and WEAC President Mary Bell testify before the Wisconsin Senate Education Committee. Watch video of their testimony. (22:33) Photo by Bill Hurley.