No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)

NCLB Reauthorization Background Information

At the beginning of the Second Session of the 110th Congress, the leadership of the House Committee on Education and Labor and the Senate Committee on Health Education, Labor and Pension voiced their strong desire to complete the ESEA/NCLB reauthorization before the end of 2008. However, it seems doubtful that sufficient time remains to complete reauthorization before the end of the year.

The U.S. Department of Education recently filed new reulations for implementation of NCLB. MSBA's Executive Director, Dr. Carter Ward, testified at one of the national hearings on the proposed regulations and MSBA filed written comments on the regulations. A copy of Dr. Ward's testimony as well as a copy of the written comments on the regulations are available here. MSBA is concerned that the proposed regulations could be used by Congress as an excuse not to reauthorize and reform NCLB. Further, several of the proposed regulatory changes could be very harmful to schools.

H.R. 6239, No Child Left Behind Recess Until Reauthorization Act – Sponsored by Congressman Sam Graves from Missouri

Since committee bills for reauthorization have not been adopted, MSBA supports legislation that would defer the progression of sanctions under NCLB until the reauthorization is completed in the 111th Congress. Districts who are subject to sanctions would still comply with the penalties, however they would not progress to the next level of sanctions until the end of 2009. Congressman Sam Graves (R-MO-6) introduced H.R. 6239, the No Child Left Behind Recess Until Reauthorization Act, which would temporarily suspend the process of identifying schools and local educational agencies as in need of improvement and of imposing sanctions on such schools and local educational agencies. H.R. 6239 was co-sponsored by Rep. Tim Walz, a Democrat from Minnesota. This bill has created considerable opposition from numerous civil rights groups – Congressmen Graves and Walz have been unfairly criticized for their work on this legislation. MSBA is fearful that the negative reaction to a relatively benign piece of legislation could be an indication of the challenges that will be faced during full reauthorization of NCLB. It is critical that school boards communicate the need for significant reform to NCLB. MSBA is asking school boards to adopt a resolution supporting the provisions of H.R. 6239 and calling for reform to the NCLB. A strong message must be sent to Congress to express the critical need to make common sense changes to NCLB to allow public schools to better serve our students.

Talking Points with Members of Congress on NCLB:

• Since committee bills for reauthorization have not been adopted, support legislation that would defer the implementation of sanctions under NCLB until the reauthorization is completed in the 111th Congress.
• More of our schools are unnecessarily being identified as failing, and local taxpayers are being misled regarding the true quality of their public schools. In Missouri, 75% of our school districts are listed as not making adequate yearly progress under NCLB.
• States and local school districts will continue to be subjected to a "one-size-fits-all" approach that fails to recognize the unique need of individual students and schools, and that fails to provide adequate flexibility to states and local school districts.
• Mandated set-asides for funding for supplemental services and public school choice programs (that have demonstrated very limited achievement results) restricts local school districts and schools from targeting the limited federal funds on those students and schools most in need.

Your Immediate Action Needed:

MSBA is asking school boards to adopt the following resolution before the MSBA Annual Conference in October. Please deliver one copy of the adopted resolution to your member of Congress and another copy to MSBA's headquarters at 2100 I-70 Drive S.W., Columbia, MO 65203 or fax at (573) 445-9981.

Download the Resolution (Microsoft Word format)