After pursuing separate paths for five years, the two national teachers’ unions have now come together to form a united front on accountability under the No Child Left Behind Act. The National Education Association (NEA) has been a staunch critic of the law, arguing that it is an underfunded mandate with unrealistic goals for student achievement. On the other hand, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has acknowledged the importance of raising achievement but believes that the policies of the law need to be revised.
Last week, the AFT announced its endorsement of the proposals put forth by the Forum on Educational Accountability, thereby joining forces with the NEA in a coalition that is advocating for significant changes to the NCLB law’s accountability measures.
While the two unions do not see eye to eye on every issue, Edward J. McElroy, the president of the AFT, stated in an interview last week that they are mostly aligned on the major matters. The decision to join the Forum on Educational Accountability was made after careful evaluation of the coalition’s positions compared to those of the AFT. However, Mr. McElroy did not specify which of the forum’s positions differ from those of the AFT.
In addition to the union coalition, over 50 Republicans, including a high-ranking GOP leader in the House, introduced bills last week that aim to remove the accountability measures of the NCLB law and the requirement for annual student assessments. This alliance could complicate efforts to reauthorize the law.
Mr. McElroy outlined the AFT’s stance on the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act during a hearing with House and Senate members. The House Education and Labor Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee held a joint hearing on March 13 to discuss potential changes to the law, which is due for reauthorization this year. The witness panel included NEA President Reg Weaver and representatives from the Council of the Great City Schools, the Council of Chief State School Officers, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and a blue-ribbon panel on the NCLB law convened by the Aspen Institute.
While the Senate committee has already held hearings on the NCLB law this year, last week’s session marked the first for the House committee since Democrats regained control of Congress. Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., the chair of the House committee, stated that many hearings on the law are planned as part of a bipartisan, comprehensive, and inclusive process.
The discussion during the hearing predominantly revolved around potential tweaks to the law’s central provisions, which establish a federal accountability system for educational performance, aim to improve teacher quality, and set the goal of having all students proficient in reading and mathematics by the end of the 2013-14 school year.
In summary, Rep. Michael Castle, R-Del., remarked that while the No Child Left Behind Act is fundamentally beneficial for education, it may require some modifications. This sentiment captured the overall tone of the hearing. However, Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., a member of the panel, expressed concerns about the federal government wielding too much control over state instructional and assessment policies.
During the House-Senate education committees’ hearing, Mr. McElroy and Mr. Weaver expressed similar concerns regarding the accountability system of the NCLB. According to Mr. McElroy, the system wrongfully labels thousands of schools as failing, even though they are actually making significant progress. This misinformation is devastating and demoralizing for students, parents, teachers, and communities who are aware of the substantial academic improvements being made.
Mr. Weaver also criticized the NCLB accountability measures, deeming them unfair. In his written statement, he urged Congress to permit states to implement their own accountability systems that utilize a variety of methods to evaluate student progress. Under the current NCLB accountability system, states are required to assess students’ reading and mathematics skills in grades 3-8, as well as once in high school. To achieve adequate yearly progress, districts and schools must meet specific achievement targets for all students and various subgroups based on race, ethnicity, demographics, and special needs.
The national teachers’ unions have not always seen eye to eye on the comprehensive federal law, which is a revamp of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The NEA, consisting of 3.2 million members, has been highly critical of the law, as evidenced by its 2005 federal lawsuit that sought to declare the law invalid. The NEA claimed that the law violated its own prohibition against mandating state and local officials to allocate funds for its implementation. However, this lawsuit was later dismissed by a U.S. District Court judge in Detroit and is currently under appeal. In contrast, the AFT has generally supported the law and initiated a campaign in 2005 to suggest modifications that would promote improved student achievement. This campaign includes a popular blog called "Let’s Get it Right."
During the committees’ hearing, Mr. Weaver, representing the NEA, outlined several objectives of the Forum on Educational Accountability. The coalition argues that accountability decisions should be based on a range of assessment scores and other indicators, such as teacher evaluations and portfolios of students’ work. Additionally, they recommend that schools define their own strategies for meeting targets related to teacher quality improvement and increased parental involvement. The NEA, AASA, and FairTest were key organizations in establishing the forum three years ago. However, AFT stopped attending the meetings as they supported the law’s accountability decisions based on test scores. Other members of the forum include the National School Boards Association, the Coalition of Essential Schools, and the National PTA. The coalition also includes representatives from civil rights and religious advocacy organizations.
