Answers to the NCLB Quiz!

I posted a six question quiz in an earlier blog entitled, “A Quiz on No Child Left Behind – Who Said What?”

All right, it was a difficult quiz with trick questions, not the kind of quiz teachers should give to students; and you already figured it out—I was trying to make a point.

When it comes to reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) currently known as No Child Left Behind, Democrat and Republican education thought leaders agree on many of the things that need to be changed.

I promised I would give you the answers so here they are, and please correct your own papers.

• Statements on ensuring 100% student proficiency by 2014; version (a) was offered by a Republican; version (b) a Democrat.
•  State standards; (a) Democrat; (b) Republican
•  Remedies/sanctions; (a) Democrat; (b) Republican
•  Student assessment; (a) Republican; (b) Democrat
•  Low performing schools; (a) Republican; (b) Democrat
•  And finally, highly qualified teachers; (a) Democrat; (b) Republican

Tell me if you got all the answers right and I will send you a fabulous prize something.

Are you wondering who are these two highly recognizable Washington-based education thought leaders?

The Democrat is Jack Jennings, president of the Center on Education Policy (CEP).  For several years, Jack served as general counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Education and Labor while the Democrats were the majority party. He is a well-known and highly regarded Democrat, and his suggestions are reported in a recently released CEP document entitled, Better Federal Policies Leading to Better Schools.

The Republican is Chester (Checker) Finn, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, and former Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Education during the Reagan administration.  Like Jack, he is highly regarded but clearly a Republican. His suggestions were reported in his weekly bulletin, The Gadfly, volume 10, number 5, February 4, 2010. 

I will be the first to admit that Jack and Checker disagree on lots of education policy issues.  However, on these six points, two highly respected individuals seem to agree more than disagree.

I think it would be helpful to congressional leaders if they could hear from education leaders who represent both political persuasions on what they agree should be changed in reauthorizing ESEA, allowing them more time to debate issues where there continues to be disagreement. Will it happen? Unfortunately not.

Bill