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INFORMATION ON "NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND"
More than 300 West Virginia public schools have been flagged as low performing under "No Child Left Behind" standards, according to the State Department of Education.
While some say "No Child Left Behind" is a federal takeover of state schools, others praise the criteria for raising the level of education in America.
States are now experiencing what they have often done to local schools, mandate without a lot of funding.
Regionally the schools in trouble include Calhoun High School, Calhoun Middle School, Roane County High School,
Spencer Middle School, five schools in Clay County, Braxton County High School, Gilmer County High School, Ritchie
County High School, Wirt High School and Wirt Middle School.
Calhoun Middle/High School principal Mike Offutt says "All the plugs are being pulled" to raise the standards in Calhoun.
Scores have excelled in lower grades, some of the highest in the state.
The state Department of Education said today that 42 of those have struggled with low test scores, poor attendance or low
graduation rates for at least two years, including Roane County High School and Wirt Co. Middle School.
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires states to set standards for what students in each grade should know, to
measure student performance and to produce annual progress reports.
Students at Title One schools that don't meet state academic standards for two years can transfer to other public schools.
There are seven schools on that list, none regionally.
There are problems with the federal mandate in rural West Virginia, where the transfer could mean a 50 mile drive, one way.
Free tutoring or other supplemental services must be provided by schools that fail to make progress for three years.
Last year, 78 West Virginia schools were listed as in need of improvement under No Child Left Behind.
WANT TO KNOW MORE: No Child Left Behind
On Jan. 8, 2002, President Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This new law represents his
education reform plan, and made many changes to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that was enacted in
1965.
The act contains the President's four basic education reform principles: stronger accountability for results, increased
flexibility and local control, expanded options for parents, and an emphasis on teaching methods that have been proven to
work.
Overview
Here is a description of the four basic education reform principles in No Child Left Behind:
Stronger Accountability for Results
States are responsible for having strong academic standards for what every child should know and learn in reading, math,
and science for elementary, middle and high schools.
Beginning in the 2002-03 school year, schools must administer tests in each of three grade spans: grades 3-5, grades 6-9,
and grades 10-12 in all schools. Beginning in the 2005-06 school year, tests must be administered every year in grades 3
through 8. Beginning in the 2007-08 school year, science achievement must also be tested.
Results of these tests will show up in annual state and district report cards, so parents can measure their school's
performance and their state's progress.
Schools will be responsible for improving the academic performance of all students, and there will be real consequences for
districts and schools that fail to make progress.
Within 12 years, all students must perform at a proficient level under their state standards. But, states will set their own
standards for each grade--so each state will say how well children should be reading at the end of third grade, for
example.
Record Flexibility for States and Communities
The new law gives all 50 states and every local school district in America greater say in using the federal education dollars
they receive every year.
States will have more freedom to direct more of their federal education money. That means local people will have more say
about which programs they think will help their students the most.
No Child Left Behind combines and simplifies programs, so that schools don't have to cut through as much red tape to get
and use federal funding.
Concentrating Resources on Proven Education Methods
No Child Left Behind will target education dollars to research-based programs that have been proven to help most children
learn.
In 2002, $900 million will be distributed to states for the President's Reading First plan.
Federal dollars will be tied to programs that use scientifically proven ways of teaching children to read.
Communities will benefit from a federally funded program called Early Reading First. This program will help develop
language and reading skills for pre-school children, especially those from low-income families.
Schools and teachers will get a boost from the more than $4 billion in 2002 that allows schools to promote teacher quality
through training and recruitment.
More Choices for Parents
No Child Left Behind offers many new ways to help students, schools, and teachers. It also gives parents options for
helping their children if they are enrolled in schools chronically identified as in need of improvement. In fact these new
parental choices will be available starting in the 2002-03 school year for students already enrolled in schools that have been
identified as in need of improvement under current law.
Parents with a child enrolled in a school identified as in need of improvement will be able to transfer their child to a better
performing public school or public charter school.
For the first time, parents with children in a school identified as in need of improvement will be able to use federal education
funds for what are called "supplemental education services." Those services include tutoring, after school services, and
summer school programs.
In 2002 approximately $200 million in federal funds could be available to state and local communities to help establish and
fund charter schools. Parents interested in charter schools should check for information in their local school district or their
state education agency. They can also check out the Department of Education website www.ed.gov for further
information.
Source: No Child Left Behind contributed to this
report
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