GILROY
– Superintendent Edwin Diaz joined more than 100 black and
Latino superintendents in supporting the federal government’s
accountability system for public schools Tuesday.
By Lori Stuenkel
GILROY – Superintendent Edwin Diaz joined more than 100 black and Latino superintendents in supporting the federal government’s accountability system for public schools Tuesday.
Diaz, along with other superintendents, principals, teachers and community leaders from across the country, signed a statement urging state and federal legislators not to roll back the accountability provisions in the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act, namely, requiring schools to demonstrate Adequate Yearly Progress for all groups of students or face sanctions.
The document, “Don’t turn back the clock – NCLB: Not perfect but hugely important,” was sponsored by The Education Trust, a federal nonprofit advocate for students’ high achievement. It is a response to criticism from some legislators and Democratic political candidates that Title I sanctions for schools should be rolled back and that too many schools fail to meet AYP requirements. NCLB seeks to ensure better results by using federal funds to reach specific performance goals.
“First of all, it was not an easy decision to sign it, because I have a lot of questions and concerns about the way the legislation is written right now,” Diaz said. “I do support that the legislation requires schools to look at individual students and to ensure that each subgroup is making adequate yearly progress so that we ensure that all kids are achieving at the same levels.”
Diaz said he is concerned about adequate funding for improving all students’ performance and the timeline for holding schools accountable.
“I’m not sure the sanctions should kick in as soon as they do,” he said.
According to the law, if schools receiving Title-I funds for instructing disadvantaged students do not meet AYP for two consecutive years, they are placed in
Program Improve-ment, a seven-year restruc-turing timeline.
Glen View Elem-entary School is
the only school that has been placed in Program Improvement, but after showing better test performance this year, it has been placed on hold. If test scores rise again next year, it will exit Program Improvement entirely.
Schools are placed under sanctions when any group of students – including white, low-income, English language learners – underperforms.
“That’s kind of the big-picture purpose behind the legislation and, philosophically, that’s what I support,” Diaz said. “A real focus in closing the achievement gap, a real focus on looking at other districts in the country that have closed the gaps.”
A debate has raged over the law because schools that may be greatly improving test scores overall can still fail under AYP based on one small group of students. Supporters say that’s precisely the point, while critics are frustrated with meeting stringent demands.
“We are not going to take No Child Left Behind and in two years, say, ‘It doesn’t work’,” said Ronald Ross, former superintendent of Mount Vernon Public Schools and distinguished fellow for urban education reform, speaking in a teleconference Tuesday. “After two years, we’re just beginning to look at it, and because some schools are failing, we want to throw it out?”
Meanwhile, the National Association of Educators, an educator advocacy organization, has drafted a bill to change the law and provide more flexibility with accountability standards.
