Statement of Edward J. McElroy,
Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers,
on New Policy for Participation Rates Under the No Child Left Behind Act

Washington, D.C.— The flurry of recent adjustments to the No Child Left Behind Act is a hopeful sign that the Bush administration recognizes the need for changes in the law. But recent interpretations of NCLB by the Department of Education amount to little more than half-steps and tinkering, when significant flaws remain.

Like other interpretations the Department of Education has made of the law, this may provide less relief to urban districts and larger, more diverse schools than to rural areas and smaller schools, where one or two students could put them under 95 percent participation rate. Schools gain a little breathing room with the adjustment on participation rates, and they’re going to need it. They are still struggling to comply with the other inadequacies of the law.

Throughout the reauthorization process, the AFT and others raised serious concerns about several fundamental flaws in NCLB – and we have continued to do so since enactment. None of the department’s recent changes does anything to enhance the validity of the adequate yearly progress (AYP) measure, for example. We urge the administration to commit to permitting accountability models that give credit for schools that make substantial progress with their students.

These changes fail to address a number of other problems, as well, not the least of which is that President Bush’s budget leaves the law grossly underfunded – by $9.4 billion for the coming year. The AFT wants to keep the framework of high standards and accountability this law is based on and will continue to press both the department and Congress to make the necessary changes our schools, teachers and students need to do their best work.

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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.