Advocates Worry Rewrite of ESEA May Weaken Law

President Barack Obama greets students during an unannounced stop at the auditorium at Kenmore Middle School in Arlington, Va. Some education advocates are concerned about recent signals from the administration that they see as paving the way for changes that could water down accountability provisions in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

—AP

By Alyson Klein

Civil rights, business, and education advocates are warning that Congress and the Obama administration may be willing to defang a key portion of the No Child Left Behind Act in their quest to make the law more flexible, shortchanging racial minorities and other historically overlooked student subgroups in the process.

Their concern comes amid debate about whether the law can be revised to give greater leeway to schools and districts in boosting achievement for minority and special education students, English-language learners, and other subgroups.

Adding to the intensity: a letter last week from members of the congressional black, Hispanic, and Asian Pacific American caucuses to those responsible for rewriting the law, emphasizing “the federal responsibility to require strong accountability through performance goals for...