Statement of Edward J. McElroy
Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers
on the U.S. Department of Education’s New Policy for Students with Limited English

Washington, D.C. — The American Federation of Teachers has long advocated allowing more flexibility in assessing the progress of students with limited English. For two years, the No Child Left Behind Act’s provisions for English language learners have led to unnecessary confusion, embarrassment, mislabeling and misdirection of resources. Many schools and districts already branded as being in need of improvement would have passed muster had this rule been in effect from the start.

The department’s delay in taking this sensible step means that even more schools could wrongly feel the sting of NCLB this year. Such misguided penalties are a reminder that there is much more to do to correct the deficiencies in this law.

Unfortunately, other parts of NCLB will continue to harm children, and we urge the U.S. Department of Education to make the necessary changes in those areas, as well. For example, the department has not given states adequate guidance regarding the looming deadlines for teachers and paraprofessionals to meet the law’s requirements. The formula used to determine adequate yearly progress is just as flawed as the day the law was enacted. And schools and districts are in the impossible position of enacting sweeping, costly changes – even though the Bush administration’s proposed budget falls $9 billion short of the promised resources.

The AFT has endeavored to find constructive solutions to the problems hampering the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act. We will continue to work in this spirit with federal officials and Congress.

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The AFT represents more than 1.3 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals and other school support employees, higher education faculty, nurses and other healthcare workers, and state and local government employees.