The law will still require states to administer reading math exams in the third through eighth grades of elementary schools in the US and once in high school, but otherwise diminishes the federal government’s role in setting educational standards.
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It would also encourage states to set limits on the total amount of time kids spend taking tests and would end federal efforts to tie test scores to teacher evaluations.
“I am proud that so numerous provisions I authored are included in this bill – things like strengthening STEM education, expanding student mental health services, increasing access to accelerated learning courses that help high school students earn college credit, and improving the recruitment and preparation of quality school principals”, Franken said when the measure passed the Senate. He was a chief architect of the bill along with Democratic Sen. John Kline (R-Minn.) and Bobby Scott (D-Va.), all of whom were on stage with the president.
Obama jokingly said the bill is “a Christmas miracle, a bipartisan bill-signing right here”.
In Iowa, the legislation received praise from education officials both in Des Moines and the Cedar Valley.
“I think that’s a good conversation to have”, Dr. Woods said.
But No Child Left Behind soon became known for its excesses, which enforced a teach-to-the-test philosophy and produced sometimes punishing consequences for low-performing schools. “That is critical for our most needy schools”.
Jill Lachenmayr is the assistant superintendent for academic affairs in the Andover School District. There are great opportunities here.
By comparison, the Every Student Succeeds Act, the president said, will put the United States in a better position to compete with other nations.
Ryan Wise, the Iowa Department of Education director, said the legislation “restores the proper balance” between the state and federal roles in education accountability.
It is hoped that the new law, as it unfolds and is implemented in the states, will result in more experienced teachers staying in teaching rather than leaving in frustration over disputed methods, policies and testing regimens. It comes after years of complaints from critics who argued No Child Left Behind spurred excessive testing in public schools and used unrealistic goals to label too many schools as failing.
No more Common Core – maybe.
The newly signed permission slip goes for testing, accountability and teacher certification.
No Child Left Behind had been criticized for using a one-size-fits-all approach to fixing poorly performing schools.
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The National Education Association applauded the ESSA as a bipartisan compromise that will “usher in a new era in public education.”
