A matter of timelines . . .

It is becoming increasingly more clear that the likelihood of change to ESEA will not happen in the short term.  Despite Secretary Duncan's push for reform prior to the beginning of next school year, the House Education Committee chaired by Rep. Kline is not buying into his timeline.

But Rep. John Kline, the Minnesota Republican who is the chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, is not persuaded. Last month, he declared there was "no chance" of meeting Duncan's back-to-school deadline. Yesterday, he said in a statement that rather than focusing on "timelines and rhetoric" in advance of an "arbitrary" deadline, his committee is focused on "thoughtful reform initiatives."

If you are concerned with this lack of progress on replacing NCLB with realistic goals and support structures you might want to consider this petition from the National School Boards Association and the American Association of School Administrators that I shared in this previous post.  It is calling on Duncan and the department to suspend sanctions under NCLB until ESEA can be revised. 

All young people will not meet standards by 2014.  We knew this when the law was first implemented, yet it did ratchet up tension that was necessary at the time and that is still needed today.  The sanctions, however, will not result in the creativity necessary to identify and implement the changes required to get all kids to a realistic and shared goal.  It is time to identify the goals and structures that will achieve this need and prepare all young people for success in post high school learning and work.