A Primer on the

A Primer on the
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001

The No Child Left Behind federal legislation was signed into law in January, 2002. It re-defines the federal role in K-12 education to improve academic performance for all students based on four guiding principles:

1. Increased accountability for results

2. Increased flexibility and local control

3. Expanded options for parents

4. Emphasis on teaching methods that are proven to work

NCLB Requirements for Increased Accountability for Results:

* Requires state and local report cards that present student achievement levels

* Establishes annual assessments for every child in grades 3-8

* Requires states to implement a single statewide accountability system

* Requires states to establish measurable objectives (AYP-annual yearly progress) that will lead to all students being proficient by the 2013 - 14 school year

* Increases funding for state and local support for school improvement*

Disaggregating Student Groups

* In order to ensure that no child is left behind, NCLB requires schools to disaggregate student achievement results by student groups:

× Racial/ethnic group

× Income level

× Limited English proficiency status

× Disability status

This new NCLB accountability requirement obliges the state and local districts to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) for each student group:

White, African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, LEP, Students with Disabilities, Low-income

Factors that Hinder Student Achievement
* School Factors

* Limited participation of minority student in rigorous courses

* Watered-down instruction

* Less-qualified or experienced teachers

* Teachers with lower expectations

* Resource disparities between high-minority schools and other schools

* Concentration of low-income and minority students in certain schools

* School climate less conductive to learning

* Student performance anxiety

* Negative peer pressure

* Disparities in access to high-quality preschool

Factors that Hinder Student Achievement

* Societal, community, and home factors

* Effects of poverty on learning

* Legacy of discrimination

* Limited learning supports in homes and communities

* Access to parenting education

Guiding Principles for Raising Student Achievement

* The achievement gap can be closed, but not with quick fixes.

* Closing the gap is a complex task that will require multiple, simultaneous, and long-term efforts that target school, home, community, and social factors.

* responsibility must be shared by the public and private sectors, and by educators, policymakers, community leaders, parents and students.

School Strategies for Raising Student Achievement

* Challenging curriculum

* Improvements in teacher preparation and professional development *

* High standards and accountability for subgroup performance*

* Equitable distribution of resources

* Sustained class size reductions in high-minority schools

* Comprehensive school reform*

* Extended after-school and summer-learning opportunities*

* Targeted research on promising strategies and unanswered questions*

* Expanded access to high-quality preschools

* Topics in NCLB

How Does South Bound Brook Fare with NCLB?

We receive the following federal funds and use them to provide these services as approved by the county and State NJDOE offices (figures are rounded to nearest thousand):

Title I $73,000- 1 Literacy and Math Support Teacher

Title II-A $11,000- Math In-Service for Teachers and Administrators

Title III-A $ 3,000- English Language Accelerated Acquisition Program

Title IV $ 3,000- Substance Awareness Coordinator

Title V $ 2,000- Character Education

NCLB Bottom Line and Observations

* Schools who do not demonstrate AYP (adequate yearly progress) for two years in a row for any student sub-group will be deemed in need of improvement and face the loss of Title I funding to assist disadvantaged students. Districts must then offer school choice, if possible, or offer supplemental services to students. If continued AYP is not attained, administration and teaching staff may be replaced, and a school could be taken over by the State.

* The federal government has significantly raised the bar for student academic achievement but has only provided 8% of the funding for implementation. Next year's federal funding is expected to be reduced by 6 billion nationally.

* It will be interesting to see how many adjustments will be made to this legislation by the end of the 2003-04 school year.