Choosing Flexibility

By

Rachel Wise

Rachel Wise, District 3, Nebraska State Board of Education (July, 2014)

As I mentioned last month, the State Board of Education is not meeting in July, so this month, the topics are “my choice” and the article focuses on two educational topics that, for me, are very important.

This month I will address accountability and the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA.) In my personal view, these two topics are interwoven and both important to the State Board of Education. In July 2013, I shared with you that I typically try to write articles that are informative and factual, well, watch out for the fireworks…I will now throw some opinions your way. As we know, if we read it on the Internet, or even in a newspaper, it must be true!!

Joe Dejka, a reporter with the Omaha World-Herald, provided an excellent overview of ESEA—now commonly known as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The June 23^rd OW-H article highlighted a State Board of Education discussion about pursuing an ESEA Flexibility “waiver” from certain federal government requirements. ESEA has an unrealistic goal of requiring all students to be 100 percent proficient in reading and math by 2014 Yes, that would be this year! In my opinion, if the State Board applies for ESEA Flexibility, it should occur only after Nebraskans across the state have an opportunity to voice their views on the issue.

So, before I continue painting the picture of what the Nebraska Department of Education and local schools will have to do to receive ESEA Flexibility, I think it is only fair to point fingers. The United States Congress has a job to do and, in the case of reauthorizing the federal ESEA law, that just has not happened!! I know you are surprised by this lack of action at the federal level!! Because Congress has not reauthorized ESEA—action that should have occurred in 2007–we find ourselves in this very difficult position.

Before I continue, I urge you to contact your Congressional representatives to encourage bipartisan collaboration on the reauthorization of ESEA.

Since reauthorization appears unlikely at this time, let’s look at what Nebraska’s request for ESEA Flexibility would entail. Nebraska would apparently be required to develop and implement a plan that would include: academic content standards that are college and career ready; issue annual report on the state’s college going rate and college credit accumulation rates for all students; establish an accountability system that includes student achievement on assessments, and the identification of focus and priority schools; ensure districts implement teacher and principal evaluation system that connects teacher evaluations to student performance and support systems; and, my favorite—reduce duplication and unnecessary burdens on school districts! The good news: several of the elements required at the federal level are included in the state’s Quality Education Accountability Act. The bad news: many of those elements have not yet been defined and that work will take input from the public and time to put in place.

Some readers may think one solution would be to just not take any federal education funds. For many schools, federal funding is a very important part of their budget, and it would be very difficult for local school districts or the state to make up for the loss of those federal dollars. If the State Board does nothing–like the U.S. Congress–our schools will be in a very difficult situation. What is the State Board of Education to do? Research options, become informed and get input from Nebraskans. ESEA Flexibility will not happen overnight and not without input from the public. In my opinion, we need to urge the U.S. Congress to work to reauthorize ESEA. In reality—my reality—we need to explore the feasibility of requesting an ESEA Flexibility waiver from certain federal requirements.

This article represents my personal view, not that of the State Board of Education or my role as president. Feel free to contact me at rachel.wise@nebraska.gov. Search the Nebraska Department of Education website at www.education.ne.gov to learn more about education in our state.