No Child Left Behind tests schools' resources.
Although President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act nearly three years ago, it was in 2004 that schools really began to feel its impact.
This was the year in which the number of
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schools that failed to make adequate yearly progress in the educating of students doubled nationwide. Further, it was the year that schools that had failed to reach that standard for two years faced potential removal of faculty and state take-overs.
The effects of the law were felt locally in a variety of other ways as well. This year Santa Fe Public Schools adopted the same standards for special education students as they have for the general student population [Cover story, March 3: "All Together Now?"]. The schools identified more homeless students as a result of the law [Cover story, Sept. 22: "Homeless 101"] and provided the names of students to the military in exchange for federal funding. [Cover story, Nov. 24: "No Soldier Left Behind"].
At the same time, concern that the Bush administration has failed to adequately fund the act became a topic of national debate.
In New Mexico, however, State officials have begun an aggressive appeal to the federal government.
"We need full funding," Gov. Bill Richardson said of NCLB after a Dec. 9 press conference at Capital High School. "Where [the lack of funds] is hurting is issues related to drop-out rates, early childhood education and many other important elementary education issues."
According to Richardson, New Mexico initially only received 7 percent of the funds the federal government promised it would allot to the State to implement the act. This year, Richardson says, the State only received 6 percent of said funds. As a result of the shortfall, Richardson says, "The states are going to have to take a leadership role."
Local school districts already are doing so. On Jan. 3, Santa Fe Public Schools' new grant writer will take her post. It's a position the district hasn't had in years. "It will really be to acquire additional funds, though not enough to provide all of the services," Superintendent Gloria Rendón says. Moreover, Rendón says the district has added more teachers to reduce class sizes and is implementing pre-school education programs as well as daylong kindergarten classes.
Community members also are taking action to improve student achievement, according to US Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM). "There's an example at Salazar Elementary. There's a couple
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of senior [citizens] who organized 80 seniors to volunteer and help teachers in the classroom on a daily basis," he says. "They've taken that school from being a school that needs improvement to a school that's receiving a passing mark on the standards."
For his part, Richardson says he's working with the Democratic Governors Association, which will soon join forces with the Republican Governors Association, to appeal for more funding. Also, Udall has spoken on the House floor and has specifically addressed those on the Appropriations Committee concerning NCLB. "I've signed on legislation that takes the position that we should not apply the standards unless the act is fully funded," Udall says. "We think the requirements should be waived, but there isn't enough support to pass that."
Udall wants it clear that he isn't asking for additional resources but for the resources the federal government originally agreed to distribute to states. "We're $29 billion short," he says. "It's really a betrayal of our children that our administration does not ask for the dollar amount that's in the bill. We're given a federal mandate saying, 'you have to have this done by 2006, but we won't give them the dollars to do it. We won't invest in our children.'"
Udall particularly believes school districts within the state should have more flexibility in implementing NCLB, a belief shared by officials at New Mexico's Public Education Department. "A number of states, if you will, are sort of lobbying for change, changes that would make implementing the process more reasonable," Don Watson, assistant secretary for assessment and accountability at PED, says. Watson says changes in the implementation of NCLB between 2003 and 2004 made it more difficult for schools to make adequate progress. "There are a lot more opportunities to fail," he says.
