Press Room
Senator Murray convenes roundtables regarding NCLB
The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act has been in place for four years and will come up for reauthorization in the US 
Congress in 2007. That is why Washington state's senior U.S. Senator, Patty Murray, who also sits on the Senate education panel, recently convened the first of many roundtables in the state to hear what is worthy and what needs to be changed in NCLB.
At the kick-off roundtable hosted by Dr. Twyla Barnes at ESD 112, Murray was able to hear from regional educators: the roundtable moderator, Evergreen superintendent John Deeder, and panelists Kelso superintendent Dr. Glenys Hill, Hockinson Board member/parent Deb Stavig, Camas assistant superintendent Tanis Knight, Vancouver education reform administrator Doug Goodlet and White Salmon Valley's Whitson elementary principal Vicki Prendergast.
While the group had positive things to say about accountability and standards for all schools, they did comment on the punitive, rather than supportive, student learning measures called for in the current law. Of concern included sanctions for schools and districts missing one measurement out of 37 being labeled "failing," the steep achievement levels set for special education and English Language Learners and the future difficulty small rural districts will have in being able to recruit teachers that meet the "Highly Qualified" designation in all subjects.
Senator Murray noted she is likely to hear similar concerns across the state as she continues the roundtables, but cautioned that the NLBC law is not going to go away. She did pledge to bring the concerns and ideas of educators forward as the Senate Education committee convenes in 2007.