CT PTA President's Letter
April, 2003

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also known as the “No Child Left Behind Act”, signed into law by President Bush in 2002, reached its first anniversary this past January. Now is an appropriate time to review some of the provisions of this act.

National PTA has identified six issues of concern:

Parent Involvement:
For the first time, the NCLB Act defines the term parent involvement based on National PTA’s “National standards for Parent and Family Involvement Programs.”

PTA wants to ensure that the parent involvement provisions are implemented as fully and effectively as possible. As advocates for our children, we can ensure that the parent involvement provisions are implemented as fully and effectively as possible.

Annual Assessments:
The law requires that states develop annual statewide testing in math and reading/language in grades 3 through 8 by school year 2005-06 and in science at certain grade levels by school year 2007-08. In school year 2002, states must annually assess the English proficiency of students who are learning the English language. Every other year, states must administer the mathematics and reading exams of the National Assessment of Educational Progress to a sample of students in grades 4 and 8. All students must participate in the assessments and individual test scores must be provided. The new law requires that test scores be disaggregated, meaning that they are reported to show student progress among all subgroups according to race, gender, socio-economic status, disability and English-language ability.

PTA wants all children to have access to high quality educational services, but does not believe accountability should depend solely on required state tests. As parents we can help assure that the required testing policies are fair and equitable and that our schools and students are evaluated on other components of effective schools – not just test scores.

State and School Report Cards:
States and school districts must develop and distribute annual report cards to parents and the public. The reports must include achievement data on state assessments, graduation rates for high schools, teacher qualifications, the number and percentage of schools identified for school improvement and how their achievement compares to other schools in the district and the state.

PT believes that schools should be evaluated on all components of effectiveness including such factors as class size, support services to students and levels of parental involvement.

Supplemental Services:
The law establishes consequences for states and schools that do not make adequate yearly progress (AYP) towards raising the academic achievement of all students, as measured by state assessments. Title I schools that fail to make AYP for three consecutive years are required to provide “supplemental educational services ”.Title I funds will pay for services such as tutoring or other academic services offered in addition to the instruction of the school day. These supplemental services can be provided by public, private, nonprofit or for-profit entities, including religious institutions.

PTA believes that only qualified educators, who comply fully with civil rights laws and engage parents as partners in their child’s education should provide these supplemental educational services to students. Confidentiality of student records and promoting school-based services should be required priorities.

Flexibility:
In exchange for meeting federal demands, the law gives educators more flexibility in the use of federal money. States and districts may transfer up to 50 percent of funds received for specific programs, either among those programs or into Title I. School districts must consult and involve parents in the development of their proposed flexibility plan and publish annual reports describing how the consolidation improves student achievement.

PTA wants to assure that flexibility in the use of federal education funds does not limit access or equal opportunity, reduce targeting of funds, threaten the viability of important programs or diminish accountability.

Teacher Quality:
The NCLB act places strong emphasis on teacher quality in promoting improved student achievement. It requires that all public school teachers be “highly qualified” by the end of the 2005-06 school year. Beginning in 2002,all teachers hired with Title I funds must be fully licensed or certified by the state and have at least a bachelor ’s degree. New elementary school teachers must pass a state test demonstrating their subject knowledge and teaching skills in elementary education. New secondary school teachers must demonstrate competency in the subject areas taught, or have their major in the subject they teach. Charter schools teachers do not have to be licensed or certified, if allowed by state laws, but must demonstrate competency. States will have to report annually on their progress toward meting these goals and on the qualifications of their teachers and the percent of classes in the state not taught by highly qualified teachers.

PTA believes that as states and districts move to meet the teacher quality requirements, they must not overlook the role that parents play in improving communications between the school and home and in improving student academic achievement. Professional development and recruitment efforts must include teacher training on how to work will with parents.

As advocates for your children, I urge you to learn more about the “No Child Left Behind Act”, how it is being implemented and what impact it will have in your school district. Therese Duncan, Vice President-Legislation, and I represent Connecticut PTA members on the Connecticut Department of Education’s “Committee of Practitioners” which was established to look at the provisions of the NCLB Act and how they will be implemented in Connecticut. We would like to know what your concerns are regarding the effect this legislation is having and will continue to have on your children and schools.

Donna McGuire President, Connecticut PTA