“NCLB deserves credit for spotlighting gaps in achievement and graduation rates between white students and students of color, but, after thirteen years, it is a DVD in a Netflix world,” said Wise.
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives will consider the Every Student Succeeds Act, legislation to rewrite the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, currently known as the No Child Left Behind Act. Prior to the vote, Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education and former governor of West Virginia, made the following statement in support of the legislation:
“A new education law to replace the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has been at the top of educators’ wish lists for many years. NCLB deserves credit for spotlighting gaps in achievement and graduation rates between white students and students of color, but, after thirteen years, it is a DVD in a Netflix world.
“The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) maintains requirements around high school graduation rates that have helped the nation’s graduation rate reach an all-time high while reducing the number of dropouts by nearly 30 percent. To build on this progress, ESSA provides accountability and support to high schools that do not graduate one-third or more of their students. In addition, the legislation requires school districts to provide support to traditionally underserved students who consistently demonstrate low performance. Finally, funds are set aside for schools and districts to implement evidence-based interventions.
“With more than 4,000 students still dropping out every school day, I am pleased that this ESSA keeps the nation’s foot on the high school graduation rate pedal while also providing states and districts with a great deal of flexibility and responsibility. States and districts will decide how to act, but action must take place. With states in the driver’s seat, I look forward to supporting their work to make every child a graduate, prepared for college and a career.”
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The Alliance for Excellent Education is a Washington, DC–based national policy and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those traditionally underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship. www.all4ed.org.
