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September 20, 2006 

NEA President Addresses Business Community on No Child Left Behind 

Weaver outlines five key strategies to improve the law for schools, educators and students

NEA President Reg Weaver discusses No Child Left Behind during a Business Roundtable, with, from left, David Dunn, Acting Under Secretary and Chief of Staff, U.S. Department of Education, and Rep. George Miller (D - CA) at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. View video of Weaver's address (2:14) 56k, Broadband

(Photo by Leslie E. Kossoff/LK Photos)

WASHINGTON—NEA President Reg Weaver met with business leaders today and outlined five ways to improve the so-called No Child Left Behind law. At a forum hosted by the Business Roundtable, Weaver urged the business community and policy makers to partner with educators and address the flaws in NCLB in the upcoming reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, NCLB’s predecessor.

“Our 3.2 million members firmly support the stated goals of the so-called No Child Left Behind Act, but the law is fundamentally flawed,” said Weaver. “In order to raise student achievement, close achievement gaps and provide every child with a qualified teacher, we’re going to have to work together.”

Today’s event is the fourth in a series of panel discussions aimed at assessing No Child Left Behind and obtaining input from leading education experts in preparation for the reauthorization of the law. Weaver’s appearance marks the first time that an NEA expert witness has addressed this group. The Business Roundtable is an association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. companies with over $4.5 trillion in annual revenues and more than 10 million employees.

Weaver noted that the current “snapshot” approach, based on just two tests taken one day a year, fails to adequately measure individual school and school district performance. In addition, the rigid nature of the “highly qualified” teacher requirement in NCLB is forcing too many teachers to jump through unnecessary hoops to comply with the law. He pointed out that the law is punitive and, in many ways, it inhibits the ability of teachers and school employees to help prepare students to compete in a global economy.

“NEA has outlined five priorities for improving NCLB that will help to ensure the basic right of every child to attend great public schools,” Weaver said. They include:

 An accountability system that rewards success and supports educators to help students learn;
 Smaller class sizes to improve student achievement;
 Quality educators in every classroom and school;
 Active and engaged parents, families and communities; and
 Adequate resources to ensure great public school for every child.

Weaver highlighted the Partnership for 21st Century Skills as an example of businesses, policymakers and education organizations working together to develop the framework to prepare students to succeed in today’s economy. The partnership recently issued a statement of principles on NCLB to strengthen the law’s accountability and integrate 21st century skills into today's classrooms.

To view a copy of the principles, please visit www.21stcenturyskills.org/documents/NCLBMemoandPrinciples0630.pdf .

To view a copy of NEA’s positive agenda for the reauthorization of NCLB, please visit  www.nea.org/esea/index.html .

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ABOUT NEA
The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.