National standards under review as lawmakers prepare to take up No Child Left Behind AP
The No Child Left Behind law was supposed to level the playing field, promising students an equal education no matter where they live or their background. However, each state sets its own standards for subjects such as reading and math, then tests to see whether students meet those benchmarks.
For Teachers, being ‘Highly Qualified’ Is a Subjective Matter WaPo
Some education experts say that meeting the standards of quality is more about shuffling paper than achieving two vital goals: ensuring that teachers are prepared to help students succeed and reducing the teacher talent gap between rich and poor schools.
Panel Urges ‘Marshall Plan’ to Improve Middle Schools NYT
A coalition of community groups is calling for the city Department of Education to develop a “Marshall Plan for middle-grade schools,” saying that all too often, the sixth through eighth grades become “pathways to failure.”