12:00 pm Carter school director hails NCLB waiver decision
A decision by the Administration of President Barack Obama and the U.S. Department of Education granting Tennessee and nine other states waivers from the No Child Left Behind Act requirements is being applauded by administrators and faculty in the Carter County School system.
Carter County Director of Schools Dr. Shirley Ellis recently told the STAR she is pleased about the decision that excuses school districts in the Volunteer State from the strict requirements set forth in the No Child Left Behind Act. Officials with the Tennessee Department of Education were advised earlier this month that their request for the waiver has been approved.
In addition to Tennessee, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey and Oklahoma also received a federal waiver granting them the right to opt out of the NCLB requirements. An eleventh state—New Mexico—sought a federal waiver, but was denied by the Obama administration.
During his official announcement of the federal decision, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam hailed the move and declared that it will benefit ongoing efforts by the state and local school systems to increase achievement scores.
Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman echoed the sentiments of the governor. “This is a testament to the hard work of many educators across the state and a recognition of the things we’re doing right now—the hard work we are engaged in—is heading in the right direction.”
The federal law, which was passed by Congress in 2002, required schools systems across America to improve their achievement scores in areas such as reading, mathematics and science. In the areas of mathematics and reading, NCLB required all students to be at or above the average proficiency levels for those subjects. The law was also created to identify schools and school systems that were failing to meet average academic requirements in those areas of study. Congressional approval of the NCLB legislation was a major domestic policy victory during the first term of former President George W. Bush.
Under the executive action taken by the Obama Administration, those requirements have been abolished with the caveat that each state must create a new plan to increase achievement scores.
The decision to grant Tennessee a waiver falls on the heels of disappointing statewide achievement scores. Last year, more than half of Tennessee schools failed to meet the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standards set forth under NCLB. This year, state education officials estimate more than 80 percent of schools across the state would fail to meet AYP targets.
Huffman said the decision to apply for regulatory relief was based on two key considerations. “One, we looked at what would have happened if we hadn’t received the waiver. Secondly, how we can use the waiver to construct an accountability system that we think is more reflective of our goals moving forward.” Despite positive gains by many schools in the state, Huffman noted that the increasing achievement requirements set forth by NCLB would mean they would likely receive a failing score.
In order to receive the waiver, the state department of education was required to draft a proposal on their plan to increase achievement scores by three to five percent every year.
All school districts in Tennessee will continue to participate in the “Race to the Top” program. Huffman said the accountability system laid out under the program calls for every school system “to improve results measurably over a period of the next five years. Our goals through ‘Race to the Top’ are ambitious. They call for schools and districts to grow proficiency levels at a rate of about 4 percent—5 percent a year—each and every year. This is hard work. If we can pull this off, if we can get to the point where 20 percent more kids are proficient or advanced on standardized tests than they were just a few years ago, we will feel very proud of that accomplishment.”
“Race to the Top” is calling for a performance evaluation system based on growth and improving the performance of teachers and students. Huffman said he believes the NCLB waiver will allow schools in Tennessee to institute the evaluation system and to use it to improve achievement scores.
On a local level, Ellis said she expects the NCLB waiver to benefit educators and students in Carter County. “This waiver provides objectives in looking at the progress of all students and closing the achievement gap in groups of students that seem to get further behind and make small amounts of progress,” Ellis commented. She hailed both as “wonderful objectives.”
The Carter County School Director added that under the department of education’s proposals, AYP requirements will be abolished and “replaced by a new accountability system. It is my understanding that teachers and schools that make progress or growth will be rewarded. This should provide great motivation for teachers and students.”
Tennessee will identify state schools using a three-tiered system. Schools receiving the top percent scores on achievement tests will be classified as “reward schools.” Another ten percent of schools that have the largest gaps in their achievement scores will be placed into the “focus schools” category. A third group, “priority schools,” will be made up of the bottom five percent of state schools based on their achievement testing performance.
Ellis said administrators and faculty members in Carter County are still awaiting further directions and a detailed explanation on the implementation and usage of the new requirements.
A full review of NCLB and the federal waiver for Tennessee schools can be obtained by going to the Tennessee Department of Education’s website at www.tn.gov/education.
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