Why is NCLB a compact disc in an iPod world?
America’s economy lost $335 billion in lifetime contributions because of the number of students in the Class of 2009 who did not graduate from high school.
The nation cannot afford to let another generation of students drop out or pass through the system unprepared for college and careers. The severity of the high school dropout crisis, the persistence of the achievement gap, and the decade-long, flat-trend line of college attainment rates have served as a national wakeup call to fix our education system.
NCLB is a compact disk in an iPod world; it is useful but in desperate need of an upgrade.
The Elementary and Secondary School Act (ESEA) was originally enacted in 1965; the current version of ESEA is called No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Almost a decade has passed since NCLB became law and it has become obsolete in many ways in today’s modern world. It is critically important that federal law (1) be updated to keep pace with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s (ARRA) progress and the common standards initiative, (2) step in when ARRA funding runs out, and (3) modernize America’s education system.
Now is the best time to seize momentum and push for ESEA reauthorization.
Showing a tremendous amount of promise is the recent momentum—at the federal, state, and local levels—to achieve significant change in education policy. ARRA’s Race to the Top Fund has motivated states to advance bold policy changes and action plans. Furthermore, states have come together to develop a common set of academic standards to help ensure all students are prepared for success in college and careers.
The alarm is ringing loud and clear: Don’t delay, reauthorize ESEA!