Stephen Singer, teacher and BAT leader, here endorses the bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (aka NCLB), as written by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee.
He writes:
“No more federal intervention.
“No more reducing schools to a number.
“That’s the promise of the Every Child Achieves Act (ECAA).
“Sure, it’s not perfect. But this Senate proposed rewrite of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) could do a lot of good – even if it includes some bad.
“Imagine it.
“States would be in control of their own public schools. The U.S. Department of Education and its appointed Secretary would lose much of their power to impose unfunded federal mandates.
“For example, the federal government could no longer force states to tie teacher evaluations to student test scores. It could no longer force states to adopt Common Core or Common Core look-a-like standards. It could no longer label high poverty schools “Failing” and then demand they be closed.
“That’s not nothing….
“We have a divided Congress. We have a President who never met a corporate school reform scheme he didn’t like.
“But we also have a citizenry who is fed up with all the bull….. People are demanding change.
“We have a real opportunity. If we can seal the deal, a generation of children will be the better for it. If not, the current calamitous law will stay in place for at least 7 more years.
“That’s just unacceptable.
“The biggest flaw in this proposed act is that it keeps annual testing in place. If approved in its current form, public schools would still have to give standardized tests to children in grades 3-8 and once in high school.
“If you’re like me, you just threw up in your mouth a little bit.
“However, supporting ECAA doesn’t have to mean supporting testing. There is an amendment proposed by Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana) that would replace annual testing with assessments only once at the elementary, middle and high school levels.
“Yes. It’s not enough. We really should have zero standardized tests in our schools. If we have to accept Grade Span Testing – as Tester’s proposal is called – it should be done by a random sample. Don’t test all kids. Just test some small group and extrapolate their scores to the whole.
“But Tester’s amendment is not nothing.
“Even if it weren’t approved – even if all schools are mandated to continue annual testing as is – the ECAA requires no minimum length for those tests.
How many questions do we need to have on our exams? How many sections? Right now, most states have three sections in both Reading and Math of around 30-40 questions each.
“If I’m reading this correctly, it’s conceivable that states that disagree with standardized testing could give assessments of only one section with only one question.
“Talk about opting out!
“That’s not nothing.
“Moreover, the proposed law does not require states to continue evaluating teachers based on student test scores. States are free to stop using the same junk science evaluations currently championed by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan or not. It’s totally up to the states.
“That’s not nothing.”
Singer contrasts the Senate bill to the House bill, which turns federal aid into vouchers (“portability”) and finds the Senate bill superior.
It is amazing that Arne Duncan’s lasting legacy will be the destruction of support for the federal role in education among liberals and conservatives alike.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
What planet is this guy living on. Accept the crumbs along with the bad. That is like saying a little poison won’t kill you. This guy has no clue. What about the over 60 pages expanding Charters and the mental health programs. Sorry ESEA needs to go back to the original 32 pages and its original intent when it was created in 1965. Personally the entire act should be repealed. Money will not fix what is wrong in America. As a matter of fact money is what IS wrong with America.
They’ve learned nothing. They’re now trying to set the agenda for every public school in the country on ed tech.
Why don’t they just stick to their knitting and provide the infrastructure for what states and schools may or may not do with ed tech? That’s a great role for the federal government. If this thing has value schools will adopt it. Build the interstate highway. Don’t try to control how schools use the highway. .
The control comes from a lack of trust. They start with the assumption that public schools will “resist” good ideas and that comes directly from the ed reform “movement” philosophy and dogma. Everything they do is shaped and directed by “movement” members. Public schools SHOULD resist. These people are captured. They NEED a “resistance”.
The testing needs to end. Anything less is bargaining with the devil.
Slightly off topic, but where is IDEA re-auth in all this?
It won’t make much of a difference in my state because the Kasich agenda is identical to the Obama agenda so nothing changes for our schools and I’m not an ideological “federalist”- I think state and local policy can be just as lousy as federal policy.
It might help as far as accountability for ed reformers at the state level, because they won’t be able to lie and say they were “coerced” into policy they all support, which is what they were doing. It reduces the political cover for ed reformers, and anything that does that is probably “good” 🙂
OTOH, I think it makes “liberal” ed reformers more and more irrelevant to what actually happens in states, since so many states are controlled by conservatives. I think you’ll see most of the “liberal” voices and goals in ed reform trumped by conservative goals. The conservative part of the “movement” will dominate, if it doesn’t already. I think that has already happened, myself but that will intensify.
I agree that handing this back to states is NOT a good idea… especially with 32 states under the control of Republicans— and that doesn’t count NYS who is under the spell of Cuomo!
Oh… and when the conservative part DOES intensify do you think children in the south will learn about evolution? Do you think that students in states with oil and coal will learn about global warming? Feel free to use your imagination to add to the list of backward steps that will be taken in your state…
Exactly…there are some things that need standard curriculum for every public school student in every state in the nation.
Civics (how the American system of government works) is prime, and probably the same with basicscience as mentioned by wgersen.
Math, other physical sciences (physics, geology, etc.), Language Arts, maybe could be decided by states. But preserving a democratic society is based on consistent knowledge, not the free floating fantasies of each new fad and each new administration.
The Common Core is a set of standards that consist of empty skill sets. There is no content to them. This is done on purpose.
The “Dear Hillary” letter, written on Nov. 11, 1992 by Marc Tucker, president of the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE), lays out a plan “to remold the entire American system” into “a seamless web that literally extends from cradle to grave and is the same system for everyone,” coordinated by “a system of labor market boards at the local, state and federal levels” where curriculum and “job matching” will be handled by counselors “accessing the integrated computer-based program.”
Tucker’s plan would change the mission of the schools from teaching children academic basics and knowledge to training them to serve the global economy in jobs selected by workforce boards.
Nothing in this comprehensive plan has anything to do with teaching schoolchildren how to read, write, or calculate.
There is no need to accept less for our children. We need to demand everything they deserve. See Chris Hedges article here – http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/make_the_rich_panic_20150503 . And then see Opt Out as the People’s Movement here: http://www.pegwithpen.com/2015/05/opt-out-is-peoples-movement_9.html . We must absolutely decimate the test and punish system and demand everything for our children. As Chris Hedges says, “This is called revolution. It is about ripping power away from a cabal of corporate oligarchs and returning it to the citizenry.”
I THINK I’m glad to see so many other commenters saying what I am thinking. It means I am not crazy, but I so desperately want to be wrong! I see this bill as one championed by the moneyed interests: 1. huge advantages for charters, which will be the complete downfall of public schools. 2. continuation of testing, which is a boon to Pearson, et al and abuses children 3. State and local control (please understand there is no way I want Arne Duncan in control), which is an ALEC goal so that they can more easily affect change — I know, so can we, but they have SO much more money. So depressing. I am going to go call my legislators now. Sigh!
Janice Strauss,
It is a crazy world we live in.
Also, the ESEA rules are not going to help states with rabid governors such as Cuomo, Walker or even Christie.
You are far from crazy Janice.
When I started my public policy career in education in the early 1970s, I spent years in the field as a researcher in many states in the union, looking into many issues as part of ESEA. At that time, these centralized rules, standards, gave us a base to evaluate curriculum, plus Human Relations, and Parental Involvement, which were seen as keys to successful public ed. We looked at many forms of teaching, mainly math and reading, but we also looked at the greater society in which the students functioned. Our reports were used to enrich and expand the better programs, and to stop using those that were not working.
Then came Ronald Reagan in 1980, who thought ESEA investigation, and all other academic research, was a waste of money. He pretty much shut it all down so that for many years the government and Graduate Schools of Education had no current data on how the nation’s schools were doing. This reactionary idea of not needing information has prevailed. NCLB became law, but the money to fund programs was not put forth. RttT became law, but with so many strings attached (CC, PARCC, etc.) for financing schools, that we are at an impasse. Now the new ESEA rulings, that you all recognize as so detrimental to students and the community, seem to be coupled with the fad of charter schools and testing.
But this is the first time that Wall Street marketeers have taken control of the process….as they have with all areas of our economic lives.
Starting in the early 1990s, the oligarchs planned, together and separately, what they wanted for workers in the 21st Century. Eli Broad opened the Broad Academy in 1999, with his manifesto on education which is online for everyone to read. And here we are in the battle of our lives to save public ed from these profiteers who seek to own the world. .
No craziness nearby, Janice…only poverty and greed.
The biggest flaw, in my opinion, is the law’s expansion of charters. That is as much a threat to public schools as reducing them to a number: below a certain score and Off with your head! Charter incentives are a death by a thousand cuts. Look at New Orleans and California, among other charter happy areas. We need to find a senator to amend this, if there are any senators left who support public education.
The small “good” in this ESEA reauth will be drowned by the ocean of continuing “bad.” We public advocates are making headway!! Why settle for so little when we’re on an upward roll?? Parents opting-out have stopped the privatizers and billionaires and forced them to tweak ESEA with tiny concessions to refusal and disgust with Duncan. Teachers opposing standardized testing and their national leaders’ support for the Duncan-Obama Plan are emerging from the bottom up to trouble Weingarten and Eskelsen sitting complacently at the top. Our game is moving forward, theirs not, don’t hand them an easy victory.
Let’s be clear about the long-term evil potential of this apparent ESEA “handcuffing” of Duncan and the DOE against interfering in local schooling–WE NEED AN ACTIVIST FEDERAL ROLE TO REVERSE decades of white supremacy in school funding and school policy. Killing the capacity of the Feds to stop racism or sexism or homophobia or able-bodied prejudice in schooling is not an improvement given our history of local bigotry. ESEA should be rejected and retired, not reauthorized in any form…the billionaire boys club and their bought politicians and commercial parasites have decided to divide and conquer us the rising opposition by seeing how few crumbs how many will settle for…don’t let them do it, we’re going to win this thing together.
I don’t believe that schools that result in segregated classrooms should be eligible to receive federal tax dollars. Charter schools should only be eligible to receive federal money if they are willing to take the same students as public schools, and they are willing to let the sun shine in on their books. If you want so much “privacy,” then don’t take federal money.
Charters shouldn’t get any special money. What happened to the money goes to the students in need? What if the government picked favorite hospitals for funding based on random and capricious reasons? Years of societal progress towards the concept of fairness and equity, and suddenly the government is playing favorites like a dowager or half baked billionaire?
ESEA 2.0 is race to the trough, only now they have two troughs, one says, ‘charters only’ and the other says, ‘everybody else, out of order’.
I don’t know if there’s a rule of thumb about how much time must pass before the supporters of a new, massive, bipartisan education law decide that the law has failed. But for NCLB, it took, what, 10 years? Should I set my calender to 2025 for the “the ESAA has failed” discussion?
If their name was not enough to make people question their judgement, then maybe this is.
Thanks so much for sharing my article, Diane. I know this is a difficult and complex issue. I, too, wish we could just repeal the ESEA. But that’s not what’s going to happen. There is too much impetus to keep the law in place. Realistically, this law will either pass or be left to continue as is for another 7 years. I think we should push to make it as good a bill as possible that will help the most kids. I am also troubled by the entire Title V charter piece. You could cut it all out and that would only improve the bill. However, our legislators won’t do that. By all means, ask them. Push them to do what’s right. It would be wonderful if we had a benevolent federal government that actually looked out for the best interests of kids. Both parties have had a chance recently, and the result has been a disaster. Cut them out and bring this fight to the local level. It will be more difficult in some states than others, but at least then you’re fighting with people who are more closely affected by the issues at hand. Solving our education woes won’t be a sprint. It will be a long distance haul. But with the ESEA rewrite we have a chance to make things better. I think we should take it.
Isn’t it time to go a little Thoreau on the education deformers? Let’s not accept crumbs trying to be realists. Let’s opt out and meet them in the streets. It’s time for a little civil disobedience.
” I think we should take it.”
We the people will have no choice. Whichever version of the ESEA re-write that Obama eventually signs will be the law of the land for seven years.
Shifting responsibilities to the states will make testing a political football every four years. The upside will be that it would be easier to battle reform minded politicians at the state level.
Steven…I understand your rational view of how government really works, but I stuggle with the types of legislators we have. My Congressperson is Julia Brownley, and woman who was a teacher, and she speaks in favor of CC and testing. My Senator is Diane Feinstein, a billionaire whose husband is in the munitions business and who also functions as a Regent of the U. of California, one of the greatest PUBLIC university systems in the world These people are all Democrats. With these kinds of biased representatives, what comes next?
We the People have so little control…and as I have mentioned often, and someone above suggests, it is a good time to read Thoreux on Civil Disobedience…and then perhaps to act out. But of course our government no longer just uses water hoses and police dogs to disperse crowds…they use advanced weaponry.
I forgot to add that my governor is the unique Jerry Brown (not whacko Lamar Alexander who I think was Diane’s boss in DC in 1991), who is a dedicated Jesuit who supports charter schools and started quite a few as Mayor of Oakland. Brown appointed the deceitful and seemingly crooked LAUSD BoE candidate, charter school millionaire Ref Rodriguez, to the most prestigious education Blue Ribbon committee in our State.
We naysayers in California don’t sleep very well and our diet includes a vast amount of antacids. Ask Karen and Lloyd and Robert and Paula and the other teachers and parents who write here often.
I forgot Jack who is a great commentator here, and Julia, and Julie. Thank you all.
This is vintage Lamar Alexander from 1989. He thinks schools should be open year round, from 6 AM to 6 PM to children 3 months old to 18. He thinks the state can be a much better parent to a child than real parents. He was scary then. He is scarier now. He’s just learned how to wrap his intentions in nice sounding phrases for the air wave sound bites and just confuse everybody with 600 pages of congress-speak so that nobody wants to read it.
His bill is about increasing the number of charter schools, continuing a torturous testing schedule, implementing invasive social and emotional screening and interventions paid for by Medicaid into every public school, and codifying outcome based soviet style school to work training as a replacement for true classical education.
What was it he likes about this bill?
And if you live in a state like New York with a megalomaniac for a governor, supported by charter school investors, and a rich well connected Chancellor of the Board who hires her own “Regents Fellows” to serve at the pleasure of the queen, returning all the power to the state is about as heartwarming as cold gruel.
So ridiculous. This does nothing. And I refuse to compromise on what children, public schools, and teachers need. This is a pacifier nothing more.
Okay, I hate to admit it, but I’m VERY confused. Do we support or not support this apparently odious—but maybe the “lesser of two evils”—legislation?
As long as we continue to support measures which offer less for our children we will continue to get less for our children. We must use all of our energy right now to push forward a revolution – a revolution in the form of opt out in which we bring the test and punish system to its knees. And as we do this we must demand ALL – absolutely everything for our children. No negotiating with those who harm our children. Revolution from the grassroots level by denying them the data will absolutely decimate them. Our children deserve everything. No exceptions.
I read all the comments and they are right on.
I didn’t opt out of the testing when I was teaching in LA because of pressure from the administration. I did, however, encourage my students to get their parents to opt them out of the tests. Some chose not to take the Smarter Balanced test because they preferred to use that time to study for their AP tests. Most had to forge their parents’ signatures because their non-English speaking parents wouldn’t have wanted their children to rebel, and our dean suspected they had lied. So he rounded up those students, told them he knew they were lying and, with tears rolling down their faces, they admitted it and were then forced to take the tests. And they also got in a lot of trouble with their parents. We need to find more ways to shelter these kids from these brain-destroying marathons that only serve to feed the ETS/Pearson corporate maw. They successfully opted out in England (or so I read on Wikipedia when I was reading up on ETS). Maybe it was because the parents were more vocal there.