EDN 301 - Fall 2002

Federal law passed in Jan. 2002. What is it? Federal law passed in Jan. 2002.

Federal Government Pass Law How Does it Affect You the Teacher? States Must implement and enforce those laws in order to obtain federal funding Teachers Must obey laws of your state.

We are going to look at some of the main points of the law. Some of the law is still being interpreted. So it is still not final.

Testing The Act requires states to continue to implement annual reading and mathematics assessments at least once in each of the following grade spans: 3-5, 6-9, 10-12. Science tests must be added by the 2007-08 school year. However, by 2005-06, all states must have annual assessments in reading and mathematics in all grades 3 through 8. The assessments must be aligned with state academic standards, allow student achievement to be comparable from year to year, and provide information for parents on how well their child is doing in school and how well the school is performing. Also, a sample of students in grades 4 and 8 must take part in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests in reading and math every other year to verify the state's results on its tests. North Carolina already takes part in NAEP and tests grades 3 through 8 in reading and mathematics. Our state will have to add science testing in certain grades by 2007-08.

Demonstrating Proficiency All schools in all states are required to have 100 percent of their students at the proficiency level, as defined by the state, within 12 years. States will set incremental goals to reach total proficiency. Schools must make "Adequate Yearly Progress" toward meeting proficiency goals. Title I schools that fail to make this progress for two consecutive years will receive technical assistance and their students must be given the option to attend another public school. After the third year, Title I schools would be required to offer supplemental education services, including private tutoring, selected by the students' parents. After five years, Title I schools must be reconstituted (restructured in some way).

Flexibility States and local school districts will have the flexibility to transfer up to 50 percent of the federal dollars received for various federal programs to other federal programs. The programs that money can be transferred out of and among include Teacher Quality/Professional Development, Technology, Safe and Drug Free Schools, 21st Century Learning Centers, and Innovative Programs. States and districts also can transfer money from these programs into, but not out of, Title I. There also will be seven states and up to 150 local school districts across the nation that will be chosen to participate in flexibility demonstration projects.

Quality Staff The Leave No Child Behind Act offers support to help schools recruit and retain excellent teachers and requires states to have a "highly qualified" teacher in core subject areas in every public school classroom within four years (by Dec. 31, 2005) . States must set local school district goals to ensure that this goal is reached. Beginning next year, 2002-03, Title I teachers must be fully licensed, but other teachers have until Dec. 31, 2005 to be fully licensed. There also are new federal regulations for paraprofessionals. All paraprofessionals are to meet a rigorous standard to be demonstrated through a formal assessment of skills or through postsecondary training. Newly employed paraprofessionals are to meet these requirements prior to employment and those already employed must meet the requirements within four years.

English Proficiency Federal legislation requires annual testing of the language proficiency of students with limited English proficiency. These students also need to be included in the reading and mathematics testing in states. The new legislation asks states to determine if these tests should be administered in the student's native language. When a student has attended school(s) in the U.S. for three consecutive years, these tests must be in English.

Technology Several federal technology programs are consolidated under new technology provisions that are designed to ensure that more money goes to schools. Funds generally can be used for professional development, increasing access to technology, especially for high-need schools, and promoting innovative state and local technology initiatives to increase academic achievement.

Resources Congress authorized $26 Resources Congress authorized $26.5 billion for education programs under the Act, including $22 billion this year. North Carolina will receive approximately $1 billion in 2002, an increase of approximately $142.6 million. This figure includes significant increases in Title I funds to support at-risk students, improving teacher quality, special education, and new dollars for developing and implementing the testing requirements.

Questions?