The View from Hillsboro - Advocating for Public Schools

NYT: Utah House challenges NCLB

An article in today's New York Times titled Utah Bill Mounts Challenge to Federal Education Law (free membership required) talks about a bill passed 72 to 0 by the Utah House of Representatives that would give higher priority to state educational goals when they are in conflict with federal mandates, and would prevent school districts from spending more than they receive to implement those programs. The bill now goes to the Utah Senate, where it is likely to pass.

"No Child Left Behind is one of the most important issues of federal intrusion in state affairs that we've faced," said State Representative Kory M. Holdaway, a Republican, speaking for [State Representative] Dayton's bill in yesterday's debate. "This is a message bill. We want to send a message to the federal government that Utah has a great education system and we know best how to manage it."

My virtual applause goes to the gutsy Utah House. Here in Oregon we have the same unfunded federal mandates that force us to take money from learning activities and use it for testing. We are told that our way of educating our students is not right (and that our schools could be considered "failing" because of that) even when it is considered ideal by experts and educators nationwide (for example when we use a team approach in our middle schools). We know how to educate the next generation of Oregonians, and I wish Salem would tell that to the federal government loud and clear.

posted by Unknown @ 5:22 AM