This letter to the editor by Secretary Rod Paige appeared in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer on March 1, 2004.
In taking me to task ("Rub of a bad joke," Wednesday editorial), I have to agree with two comments. First, my remarks about the National Education Association were poorly chosen and I have apologized. Second, there are legitimate questions about the No Child Left Behind law and its implementation.
But I think we may differ on the questions themselves. Your concerns are about special education and second-language students, and about funding. Both groups have been significantly assisted by recent regulations implemented by my department. In the fall, I eased requirements for seriously challenged special-needs students. On Feb. 19, I announced new policies to help English language learners. Other adjustments may be made over time.
Funding is a tougher issue. The amount of funding under the law is calibrated to meet the challenges of implementing No Child Left Behind. In the president's 2005 budget, funding for education would be $57.3 billion, an increase of 36 percent since 2001. We pay for testing, provide more money to each state, and target special efforts, such as reading, rural education, special needs and language acquisition.
Several studies have concluded we did not saddle the states with an unfunded mandate, including a study by Massachusetts State School Board Chairman James Peyser and economist Robert Costrell. They found that federal education funding was more than adequate for administering state assessments under No Child Left Behind.
My concerns may explain, but not excuse, my frustrations. The president and a bipartisan majority in Congress passed this law and expect it to be implemented. I guess I may have been naïve to expect some level of cooperation from certain national organizations. Instead, some groups have vowed to scuttle this law. They have been uncooperative and resistant. I just think it is time to make the law work, and not doom millions of students to a sub-par, disappointing education. We have to get past the politics and special interests, and work for the children.
Rod Paige
Secretary of Education
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