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End of “No Child Left Behind” signals shift of control over education

WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Barack Obama signed a bipartisan and much celebrated piece of legislation Thursday that repealed the No Child Left Behind Act, which the general public and both political parties have turned sour on in recent years.

Critics of the bill, a product of the George W. Bush administration, stated certain provisions of the act heavily incentivized states to take up Common Core teaching standards almost to the point of enforcement, while others felt the bill simply failed to help under-performing schools as it was intended to do.

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) aims to solve both of these problems by returning much of the power over education choices back to the states. The new bill will still give the federal government oversight powers regarding how often states test their elementary and secondary school students, and the results must be organized by demographics like race, ethnicity, income and special needs.

Aside from those regulations though, state governments, including Missouri’s, will have a final say in how and what students in their schools are taught – and many in the education community hope it ends the much-maligned practice of teaching to the test.

“Too often we are quick to be critical of our leaders in Washington and slow to give credit for a job well done,” Roger Kurtz, the executive director of the Missouri Association of School Administrators said. “We applaud the support that Missouri’s Congressional delegation (from both sides of the aisle) have shown Missouri schools, educators, and students.”

Almost all of Missouri’s representatives in Washington voted for the legislation. Only Congressman Jason Smith in the House and Roy Blunt in the Senate voted no.

Other education leaders, such as Missouri National Education Association President Charles E. Smith, also see a bright future under ESSA.

“The legislation moves us away from the over use of standardized tests and prioritizes opportunity for all students,” Charles Smith said in a statement. “Educators will have a seat at the table when it comes to making decisions that affect their students and classrooms. This legislation begins to close the opportunity gaps for students by providing a new system that includes an ‘opportunity dashboard’ with indicators of school success and student support.

“Not only does it reduce the amount of standardized testing in schools, but it decouples high-stakes decisions and statewide testing so students have more time to develop critical thinking while educators do what they love — inspire a lifelong love of learning.”

KathySwan
Rep. Kathy Swan

House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee Chair Kathy Swan, R-Cape Girardeau, said “what we were looking for and hoping for was more flexibility in assessment and accountability and return control back to our local schools districts.” According to her, that’s exactly what they got.

Now, Swan’s committee, along with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, will look to take control of their own state’s standards. She plans on looking towards teachers, administrators and educators when deciding on what shape the new state standards will take.

“Specifically, I don’t intend or pretend to impose specific standards,” Swan said. “I’m a nurse by profession, and I look to other nurses for standards of practice. We look to the leaders in any profession.”

However, despite the celebration in Congress of passing solid legislation as well as the excitement shown by those at the state level, some warn that it will still take significant action to right the wrongs of No Child Left Behind.