March 31, 2010 – On March 13, the Obama Administration released its blueprint for revising the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Asking states to ensure that their academic standards prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace, and to create accountability systems that recognize student growth and school progress, are key priorities of the plan to reform the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). NCLB was signed into law in 2002 and is the most recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA).
According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Education, “NCLB highlighted the achievement gap and created a national conversation about student achievement. But it also created incentives for states to lower their standards; emphasized punishing failure over rewarding success; focused on absolute scores, rather than recognizing growth and progress; and prescribed a pass-fail, one-size-fits-all series of interventions for schools that miss their goals. The administration's proposal addresses these challenges, while continuing to shine a bright light on closing the achievement gap.”
Key priorities in the blueprint include:
1. College- and Career-Ready Students
2. Great Teachers and Leaders in Every School
3. Equity and Opportunity for All Students
4. Raise the Bar and Reward Excellence
5. Promote Innovation and Continuous Improvement
Portions of the blueprint reference the importance of a “complete education.” Content areas listed include: literacy, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, history, civics, foreign languages, the arts, financial literacy, and environmental education.
Additional information about the blueprint, including a pdf link to the document, is available here.
Related content:
Dept of Ed,
ESEA,
K-12,
Reauthorization,
White House