Obama proposes changes in Education: Reaction to move from No Child mixed

Today, Congress got its first glimpse of President Obama's plan to overhaul the nation's education system, moving away from No Child Left Behind's emphasis on grade-level proficiency to a plan that puts more emphasis on students' individual growth.

It would also focus more broadly on getting students ready for a job or college.

The plan, which Obama discussed over the weekend in his weekly radio speech, drew some favorable comments from local school officials yesterday.

Don Martin, the superintendent of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system, said that there are clearly some good elements to the proposal.

How positive it would be overall, though, will depend on what some of the details prove to be.

When No Child Left Behind came along, he said, no one disagreed with its big-picture goals. The problems grew out of the ways in which they are carried out. And, from some of the details available so far with the Obama administration's proposal, that problem could come up again.

"Some of the interventions were very specific," Martin said. "Sometimes a one-size-fits-all intervention is not going to work."

Education Secretary Arne Duncan said the plan would eliminate "many perverse incentives" that led some states to lower standards to meet benchmarks.

Duncan will go to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to start selling the plan.

‘Re-envisioned federal role'

In a 41-page blueprint, Obama wrote that his proposal "is not only a plan to renovate a flawed law, but also an outline for a re-envisioned federal role in education."

The proposal would authorize $29 billion in aid for schools, a 16 percent increase.

Much of it would be delivered through competitive grants, which, Obama said, would reward schools that show real progress.

Martin does like the shift to rewarding success.

"There might be some positive consequences, and I think that is good," he said.

School-board member Buddy Collins thinks that federal intervention in local schools is a bad idea. So, he thinks that both the Bush administration's No Child Left Behind and the Obama administration's recently announced plan for education reform are wrong-headed.

"I'm opposed to federal intervention in local school policy regardless of whether it is Republican or Democrat," Collins said. "It (education) is an incredibly complex endeavor that cannot be managed from Washington."

Despite that, Collins said the proposal has some refreshing elements, including the need for more parental involvement and the need for concentrating resources into programs that can produce measurable results.

Board member Jill Tacka-bery also saw some favorable ideas in the plan.

"I like the growth model -- rather than NCLB's proficiency model -- and I like using additional indicators to measure success," she said.

She also said she would like to see the proposal's emphasis on making students ready for college or a career lead to more people in the community working with the school system to mentor students and to offer internships and apprenticeships.

"I hope when folks learn about the broad goals of helping our children become college- and career-ready," she said, "we can engage more of the community in helping out students with the career-ready part."

Board members said they also like the possibility of moving away from No Child Left Behind's punitive measures. Board member Elisabeth Motsinger said, "I am excited that the Obama administration is looking at innovation in education and encouraging innovation and accountability as opposed to the No Child Left Behind punitive measures."

Teaching to the test

No Child Left Behind's standards have led to a lot of teaching to the test, board member Geneva Brown said. She hopes that the reforms would let teachers move toward working with each student to help him grow in the ways that are best for him.

Not every child can operate at the same level, she said. "That's not possible. We're just made different."

Board member Jeannie Metcalf said that less federal interference is always music to her ears so she likes the proposal to lessen federal interference in schools that are doing well. She also likes the focus on student growth rather than absolute standards.

"Growth is an achievable goal," she said.

Virginia Newell, the co-director of a local group called Concerned Citizens for Educational Accountability and Achievement, said that current federal standards are a major problem.

"No Child Left Behind -- that is the thing that is causing our kids to fail," Newell said.

She said she thinks that Obama's ideas for reform are good.

"I think his proposals are right on target," she said. "I'm with them 100 percent."

At the national level, response was mixed.

Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, said the plan "appears to place 100 percent of the responsibility on educators and gives them zero percent authority."

Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., said that parts of the proposal aren't in keeping with Obama's support for more flexibility for states.

"As a starting point for debate, this blueprint will certainly spark strong opinions from across the spectrum," Kline said.

kunderwood@wsjournal.com


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Material from The Washington Post was used in this story.