Spellings Discusses "New Path for No Child Left Behind" Policy

[The Straight Story]

Spellings Discusses "New Path for No Child Left Behind" Policy with Elementary School Principals

FOR RELEASE:
April 18, 2005 Contact: Susan Aspey
Samara Yudof
[phone]



U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today highlighted the Department's new common-sense approach to working with states that focuses on results for students called, "Raising Achievement: A New Path for No Child Left Behind." She made the remarks to the National Association of Elementary School Principals at the group's annual convention in Baltimore.

"We have learned much over the last three years, and now we need to use this new information to improve the way we do our work," said Secretary Spellings. "Before No Child Left Behind, the performance of some student groups, like minority, low-income, and special-needs students, would often get buried beneath misleading averages. It became all too common to overlook these students and their academic struggles. No Child Left Behind forced us to confront this achievement gap and to take accountability for fixing it. Already we can see this law is making a difference. Across the country, test scores are rising and the achievement gap is closing."

Secretary Spellings recognized the "heavy lifting" that elementary school principals do every day to close the achievement gap and make No Child Left Behind a reality. One of her top priorities has been listening to those on the frontlines of education reform, she noted.

As part of "Raising Achievement: A New Path for No Child Left Behind," those states that follow the "bright line" principles of No Child Left Behind, show real results in closing the achievement gap, and meet proficiency targets can qualify for additional flexibility. Secretary Spellings noted that the only way to show progress is to keep assessing every student and breaking down the data by student groups every year.

http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2005/04/04182005.html

[Vincardog]

1. OF course not testing the children that will not pass helps too

[jedr]

2. If she wants to do something to help: try funding it!.....n/t