July 2008 — News
Print this article | Email this articleClick here to receive your FREE subscription to T.H.E. Journal
ISTE, NEA Tackle Role of Feds in Education
To this end, NEA is recommending more stringent enforcement of civil rights laws to improve access and opportunity in schools, funding for current and past federal mandates and legislation, and assistance in creating "capacity at the local and state levels for school transformation."
"Federal education policy needs more than a legislative tweak here and there," said Reg Weaver, NEA president, in a statement released to coincide with the report. "A change in the White House must bring fundamental changes in how the federal government treats public education. The government must move beyond testing, labeling and punishing, and begin partnering with states to close achievement gaps for all students. The federal government has a critical role in public education, and should focus on equity, opportunity and targeted assistance to underserved communities. At the same time, the government must respect the role of states and school districts as the primary providers of education services."
One presidential candidate, Barack Obama, has already expressed support for NEA's position. He sent a letter to NEA members that read: "I applaud the NEA for its efforts to frame the agenda outlined in Great Public Schools for Every Student by 2020. This document provides a roadmap for educators, elected officials, policymakers, and all who care deeply about the future of our children to consider and debate in the days ahead. And it provides critical starting points for a new educational compact."
NEA characterized NCLB as being "obsessive" about testing, as "treating children as no more than test scores," and as judging children "based solely on standardized test scores at the expense of preparing them for the real world ... without providing basic resources."
The complete policy paper, along with additional information, can be found on NEA's site here. (This link includes a PDF of the full report, an executive summary, and additional details.)
Get daily news from THE Journal's RSS News Feed
About the author: David Nagel is the executive editor for 1105 Media's online education technology publications, including THE Journal and Campus Technology. He can be reached at dnagel@1105media.com.
Proposals for articles and tips for news stories, as well as questions and comments about this publication, should be submitted to David Nagel, executive editor, at dnagel@1105media.com.
Cite this Site
copy text (above) for proper citation
