ESEA May Get Done This Year What are the big issues?

1. ESEA May Get Done This YearWhat are the big issues? William & Mary University March 28, 2011 Bruce Hunter

2. Possible Timeline for ESEA • Out of Senate HELP committee by Easter • Through the Senate by June • To the President by August • At least most important parts of ESEA this year • Possible but ambitious • Seems less possible every day

3. Competitors for Dominance in Education policy? “Reformers” Educators • Blow it up and start again Choice & Corporate control model • Democrats for Education Reform • Education trust • Fordham foundation • Alliance for Excellent Education • Aspen Group • Gates Foundation • Broad Foundation • Walton foundation • Federal support for state and local leadership • AASA • NSBA • NEA • AFT • CCSSO • PTA • NAESP • NASSP • NABSE • etc

4. Competitors for Dominance in Education policy • Standardization • Federal requirements & mandates dictate • State as federal enforcer • Diminished Local authority • Increased Local Responsibility • Decreased Local authority • Federal leadership in Equity, Research & Demonstration • Federal Assistance for Students With Greater Needs • Federal Funds to Help Address Systemic problems • Balance local/state federal authority and responsibility • Greater federal/state transparency in rule making

5. Research Lacking RegardingKey Reform Proposals • Performance pay improves instruction and therefore student outcomes • Charter schools will lead to improved student outcomes • Test Scores primary tool to evaluate teachers and principals • Firing teachers improves student outcomes persistently low scoring schools • Firing principals in every low scoring school is essential to improve student outcomes

6. Reauthorization Issues Accountability: • Reformers like NCLB accountability system, • Educators don’t like NCLB accountability system -want an accountability system that is fair & accurate as well as valid & reliable

7. AASA Positions on ESEAOur Heaviest Lift • Separating Accountability and assessment for instructional planning – One test can’t serve two purposes • Accountabilityassessmentscontrolled by states with broad federal guidelines - growth (value added if desired) could use sampling, NAEP, PISA • Instructional assessment controlled by school districts - measuring growth, by multiple methods, that are transparent and provide immediate feedback to teachers and administrators

8. Reauthorization Issues Standards: • Reformers don’t have much to say about standards. • Educators want standards that will result in students as well prepared as students anywhere and that have broad public and political support. • The NGA and the CCSSO created Core Standards - internationally benchmarked, fewer, higher and clearer. • Thirty seven states have signed up to implement the core standards. • AASA: don’t put the new standards under federal control

9. Reauthorization Issues Assessment: • Educators, including AASA, would like to move beyond the current generation of state tests to assessment systems • Reformers are largely silent on the issue of better tests, but the really like having a single score for accountability.

10. State Assessment Consortia • Two consortia, representing 44 states and DC. • Eleven states belong to both, 6 to neither • Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) hosts 31 states and received $160 million • Partnership for Assessment of College and Career Readiness (PARCC) hosts 26 states and received $170 million

11. Reauthorization Issues Assessing Special Learners: • Reformers are largely silent on this issue, but view educators concerns in these areas as just making excuses • Educators fair, accurate and instructionally useful assessment for ELL and special education students is a priority • The 2% rule must either be eliminated or made sensible.

12. AASA Positions on ESEAImproving Accountability and Assessment Provisions of Title I • Improve the clarity and accuracy of accountability measures. • Less intrusive and less costly testing – e.g., sampling • Measure student progress by growth. • Use multiple sources of information to measure learning for instructional guidance. • Measure special education students consistent with the Individualized Education Program • No arbitrary percentage caps. • Assess English language learners in a language they understand.

13. Reauthorization Issues Formula vs. Competitive: • Administration requested an increase in the proportion of federal dollars for competitive grants. • Reformers want to use competitive grants to force compliance. • Educators like formula grants - more predictable for staffing and long term plans. • AASA supports formula grants opposes shift to more competitive grants

14. Reauthorization Issues Charter Schools: • Reformers -charter schools are essential for wide scale improvement in student outcomes • Educators -some charter schools work as well as regular public schools - ought to be a local option. • Stanford study found that 17% of charters get significantly better and that 37% get significantly worse results than traditional public schools. CREDO, Stanford University, June 2009

15. Hottest ESEA issue for the 112thTeachers • Compensating teachers • Experience & Degrees • Student outcomes/effectiveness • Evaluating teachers primarily by test scores • Balancing teacher quality • Across all schools • By per pupil costs • Eliminating seniority for assignment • Alternative certification • Special education • Rural isolated districts

16. Reauthorization Issues Teachers: • Differences between reformers and administrators • Reformers want: • New teacher preparation programs • Alternative paths to teaching • Uniform evaluation based on test scores • To be able to fire teachers more easily • To eliminate sonority for placement • School administrators want: • Better teacher programs tied to practices in school districts • To retain control of teacher evaluation • To be able to remove ineffective teachers more easily • Teacher placement strategies that work to place effective teachers in hard to staff schools

17. Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act • Improving the Effectiveness of Teachers and Administrators • Accountability for the effectiveness is a state and local responsibility. • Compensation decisions are a state and local matter. • Evaluations must be created at the local school district. • Permit use of ESEA funds to encourage teachers to work in hard-to-staff schools. • Provide ESEA funds for hard-to-staff schools. • Distribute professional development funds by percentage of poverty. • Local flexibility in professional development programs.

18. Reauthorization Issues Serving the total child: • Reformers view this as making excuses because schools alone can bring every child to high levels of achievement • Educators have a consensus that in school and non-school barriers to learning must be addressed simultaneously for all children to succeed. • AASA - Connection of children’s health and personal and social development to students and families will improve student outcomes; • DIPLOMA

19. Reauthorization Issues Early Childhood Education: • Reformers are largely silent in this area, but there doesn’t seem to be significant opposition. • Educators view developmental and educational support for children in their first five years of life as essential. • There is solid research that early support at home & organized settings makes a difference • The Obama administration strongly supports state efforts to increase access to and the quality of early childhood programs.

20. Bullying and Harassment • A priority for the Obama Administration • Special education • Gender • Sexual orientation • Avoiding new administrative burdens • Administration and advocates want more data • Cyber bullying – legal issues • Free speech • Off campus • Better PD needed but one size does not fit all • Local policy improvement – if we don’t the feds will

21. Vouchers • FY11 CR includes language to reverse current sunset provisions. • Both the House and Senate have the votes to support voucher provisions, and each chamber has introduced a bill to reinstate and expand the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program • 4 consecutive government reports document the lack of reliable, valid academic progress • We expect to be fighting vouchers on a regular basis in this Congress.

22. Will they finish ESEA this year? • Thursday’s (3/10/11) meeting included Democratic Sens. Tom Harkin of Iowa and Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico; Republican Sens. Michael B. Enzi of Wyoming and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee; Democratic Reps. George Miller of California and Dale E. Kildee of Michigan; Kline and Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter of California. • “It was a good general meeting, a good kickoff,” said Harkin, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. “We all agreed we’re going to get it done this year, and I think there are some principles we all pretty much agreed on.”

23. Kline and Hunter Issue Joint Statement on White House Education Meeting (3/11/11) • "We appreciate the opportunity to discuss with President Obama and our Senate counterparts the challenges facing America’s classrooms. Although we have our different approaches, everyone agrees current law is broken and in need of repair. The status quo is failing both students and taxpayers;  it is time we reconsidered the role of the federal government in our schools.  As we work to develop reforms that focus on what’s best for students, parents, teachers, and communities, we are engaging our colleagues on both sides of the aisle and listening to the concerns of state and local education leaders. For the sake of our children's future and the strength of the American workforce, we must take the time necessary to get this right."

24. Obama Vows Not to Cut Education Funding, Calls for a Rewrite of ‘No Child’By Lauren Smith, CQ Staff CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS –March 14, 2011 – Updated 4:01 p.m. • As for the president’s proposed timeline, last week a bipartisan group of lawmakers from both chambers pledged to rewrite the law this year. • In reacting to the president’s Monday speech, however, Kline cautioned that “arbitrary” timelines could undermine efforts. “We need to take the time to get this right,” he said. • “The president made a great case today for why we need to fix our education law in this country,” said Rep. George Miller, ranking member on the House committee. “The status quo is failing our students and putting our future, our economic stability and our global competitiveness at risk.” I didn’t realize the Congress alone could fix our education laws. The must have powers not enumerated in the constitution

25. Will they finish ESEA this year? • Kline Statement on President Obama's Education Speech • WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN) released the following statement on President Obama’s education speech at Kenmore Middle School: • “The president's remarks affirm the importance of fixing the nation’s broken education system.  As we develop targeted, fiscally responsible reforms, the Committee on Education and the Workforce continues to work with school officials and state and local leaders to learn about the tools they need to prepare students for the future. We need to take the time to get this right – we cannot allow an arbitrary timeline to undermine quality reforms that encourage innovation, flexibility, and parental involvement.”

26. Summary • The debate is very contentious between Educators and “Reformers”, though voice of reformers is increasingly muted. • The administration has sided almost entirely with the “Reformers” • The hill is split between educators and reformers. • There are other contentious issues that require time for consideration.

27. How About Funding?

28. Federal BudgetingA Two Step Process • Budget –Step 1 • A Resolution – not a law – not binding • Does set spending limits • House and Senate each produce a budget in committee • Usually comes to the floor, but often doesn’t in election years • A blueprint to be followed as much as the Appropriations committees want to • Due by April 15

29. Federal BudgetingA Two Step Process • Appropriations – Step 2 • Funds are actually allocated by Appropriations Committees House and Senate • Harold Rogers, KY - House Chairman • Daniel Inouye, HI, - Senate Chairman • Appropriations bills are laws and are enforced • 13 subcommittees are given individual allocations each must pass a bill or some functions of the federal government are unfunded • Labor, HHS, Education Subcommittee -funds education • Dennis Rehberg, MT – House Chairman • Tom Harkin, IA – Senate Chairman

30. Federal BudgetingA Two Step Process • Appropriations • Ear marks are funds appropriated that were not authorized by a law • Riders are provisions attached to an appropriations bill that last as long as the appropriations bill, i.e. one year • Examples this year are defunding Planned Parenthood and NPR

31. Federal BudgetingA Two Step Process • Continuing Resolutions • When the House and Senate are unable to agree on spending in one or more of the 13 appropriations bills, a CR, is passed to keep the government working • If several appropriations bills are not passed an Omnibus bill is passed that wraps all the unpassed bills together

32. FY11 AppropriationsDue by October 1, 2010 • Trying for Long-Term CR: • House proposed long-term CR (HR 1) would cut $61.5 billion from FY10 levels, including more than $5 billion from USED • Proposed eliminating 60 programs and cut 13

33. FY 11 AppropriationsThe dog that didn’t bark • House passed CR – much publicity • CR cut roughly 16% • Title I funding is cut $693.5 million. • IDEA Part B funding level funded. • Rural Education Achievement program (REAP) funding is level funding, receiving NO CUTS. • Education Technology State Grants are cut $100 million (elimination). • Fund for the Improvement of Education (FIE) is cut $271.6 million. • 21st Century Learning Community Centers funding is cut $100 million. • Head Start funding is cut by just over $1 billion. • Failed in the Senate, as did Senate Democratic substitute

34. FY11 Appropriations • Congress is now on the 6th round of CRs! • Impact of CRs on Education: • Had been level-funded in CRs through March 4 • The subsequent CR (through March 18) cuts $4 billion from the federal budget, including $888 million in education: • Striving Readers -$250m • LEAP Program -$64m • Even Start -$66m • Smaller Learning Communities -$88m • The current CR (through April 8) cuts government spending by $6 billion, but includes no cuts to education • Going Forward: Recess this week, returning to work on the budget. • Government shut down?

35. Obama FY12 Budget Proposal • FY12 budget proposal released Feb 14 (2012-13 school year) • Despite tight economic times, including non-defense discretionary budget freeze, education receives historic increases • Proposal includes massive restructuring in ESEA reauthorization 38 programs consolidated to 11 • Policy shift toward competitive grants • Despite overall increases: • Title I receives $300 million • IDEA received a $200 million increase, falling to 16.5% instead of the promised 40%

36. Obama Budget Proposal

37. What Funding Should Schools Expect? • No one knows because the House and Senate seem to be a long way from agreement • The President’s proposals for consolidation depend on reauthorization of ESEA