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Past Extra Credits All issues

"[Susan Castillo, Oregon superintendent of public instruction] said Oregon's pre-existing assessment system--given to public school students in grades three, five, eight and 10--gave Oregon a leg up on meeting the president's act. 'The feds saw what we're doing and support it,' she said." - The Salem Statesman Journal

"Pat Burke, from the Oregon Department of Education, says the federal approval means the bulk of current state assessment standards will continue to be used. 'Some states had to start from scratch,' Burke said. 'Oregon did not have to do that.'" - The Associated Press

"The state got the green light after Oregon officials dropped plans to set separate lower standards for minority and disadvantaged students. ... President Bush, who championed the law, made clear he was against lower standards for poor, minority and disabled students, said Brian Jones, the top lawyer in the U.S. Department of Education." - The Oregonian

"State schools Superintendent Sandy Garrett said the Oklahoma Legislature a few years ago formulated a plan similar to an accountability system aligned with the federal No Child Left Behind Act. ... 'We're a very big supporter of No Child Left Behind in Oklahoma,' she said. 'We think it's time we are accountable for every single child and their progress.'" - The Associated Press

"'We're here with a winning game plan for the students of Oklahoma and the future of Oklahoma,' [said U.S. Rep. Ernest Istook]. ... Oklahoma established state academic standards for reading, language arts and math for all grade levels in the early 1990s. By 2005-06, Oklahoma will assess reading and math performances of all students in third through eighth grades based on state standards." - The Oklahoman