Changes to NCLB will provide additional incentive for states to enact more rigorous academic programs
New York, NY, February 22, 2010 – Democrats for Education Reform (DFER), a national advocacy organization that seeks to reorient the education debate within the Democratic Party, commends President Obama in the wake of his announced proposal to overhaul the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The president delivered a stern, but necessary, message to the governors of all 50 states today that failing to enact and implement sufficiently rigorous education standards in their states would result in a drop in federal funding through Title I, under his proposed plan.
“President Obama has taken a bold step to correct one of the weakest aspects of No Child Left Behind,” said Joe Williams, DFER’s executive director. “In requiring states to adopt ‘college or career ready’ standards in order to receive Title I funding, the president is sending a message that academic rigor is not just a nice bonus in our educational system – it’s a requirement. No longer will the federal government throw away good money on failed state education policies. Simply put, states must actively work toward the best interests of our nation’s students or face a terrible consequence.”
DFER further commends President Obama for seeking additional funding for the administration’s successful Race to the Top initiative as part of the NCLB reform. Race to the Top’s first round catalyzed serious policy innovation in a number of states, with 40 states and the District of Columbia submitting applications for funds to be distributed on the basis of serious reform proposals.
Continued Williams, “The beauty of Race to the Top is that it rewards those states that are putting actionable reform proposals to work, and encourages every state to get serious about fixing their broken education systems. The era of rewarding mediocrity is over.”