The U.S. House of Representatives today released a first draft of the NCLB reauthorization bill, which lawmakers hope to formally introduce next month. Technically a "staff discussion draft," the release is meant to spur discussion regarding the topics it includes and prepare Washington for the coming debate.
The draft features (based on a preliminary reading):
- More indicators for calculation of AYP,
- The integration of "growth models" into the AYP definition, to account for student progress, even if below the AYP line,
- Attempting to close to statistical loopholes regarding "n" size (subgroups too small to count) and confidence interval regulation to 95%,
- Some changes and more flexibility regarding ELL students,
- Some limited additional flexibility regarding special education students,
- In regard to sanctions, much of the current system would seem to be scrapped. Instead, there would be 2 classifications, "Priority Schools" and "High Priority Schools." Each would be subject to similar sanctions, but the "Priority Schools" would be subject to fewer sanctions,
- Leaves the Highly Qualified Teacher provisions largely unchanged,
- Puts more of a priority on graduation rates.
You can find the full version of the draft
here. (435 pages)
For those with less time to spare, you can find the 11 page summary
here.
Article originally appeared on The Edjurist - Information on School and Educational Law (http://edjurist.com/).
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