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ESEA or No Child Left Behind: Federal Education LawK-12 educators have felt the impact of ESEA (Elementary & Secondary Education Act) reauthorization since January 2002 when President Bush signed the 1965 law’s latest version. Congress backed the President’s interest in making the 2002 law the most sweeping reform of K-12 education ever enacted by the federal government. Most people know the controversial law by its familiar nickname: No Child Left Behind or NCLB. The 2002 ESEA (“NCLB”) has laudable goals: high academic standards, accountability for preparing K-12 students, the belief that all children can learn regardless of their abilities or background. However, our Association believes the law is seriously flawed and underfunded. We have been working for the past four years to “fix and fund” the law through legislative lobbying, public awareness, member empowerment, and legal action. To a large degree, states are permitted to design their own implementation plans for ESEA (“NCLB”). In Colorado, the Colorado Department of Education and the State Board of Education are responsible for our state’s implementation plan, that must be approved by the U.S. Department of Education. The law addresses teacher and paraprofessional quality, student assessment and student academic progress measured by “Adequate Yearly Progress,” and the consequences for schools that do not improve under ESEA’s specific timelines. These issues are addressed in the links below where you will find detailed information and links to more information:
Student Assessment: ESEA's requirements for K-12 student testing and how this requirement is implemented in Colorado Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP): ESEA's requirement that schools demonstrate measurable annual progress through student test scores and how Colorado defines AYP Public Choice: ESEA's requirement for offering students "public school choice" Supplemental Services: ESEA's requirement for offering students "supplemental services" Teacher Quality: ESEA's requirement that teachers be "highly qualified" and what this means in Colorado Paraprofessional Quality: ESEA's requirement that paraeducators be "highly qualified" and what this means in Colorado School Report Cards: ESEA's requirement for reporting on school quality Reading & Literacy Initiatives in ESEA Scientifically Based Research Requirement in ESEA ESEA & Colorado's Accountability and Accreditation System Colorado's ESEA Planning & Implementation Process
Information from CEA
Information from NEA
Information from the U.S. Department of Education
Other Sources
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