This letter to the editor by Secretary Rod Paige appeared in The Grand Forks Herald (North Dakota) on October 10, 2003.
WASHINGTON—In a recent Viewpoint column titled "No Child Left Behind Act hurts local schools," Grand Forks school board member Tim Lamb wrote, "But for the category of testing of.
Lamb then proceeded to argue that the "annual-progress net ... is too broad," suggesting students with disabilities shouldn't be part of the No Child Left Behind accountability system.
One of the most important goals of No Child Left Behind is to ensure that all of our children, including students with disabilities, are being challenged to meet high expectations. The simple fact is that students with disabilities should not categorically be held to lower standards.
Too often in the past, students with disabilities were excluded from accountability systems. But No Child Left Behind ensures that schools and districts are held accountable for students meeting state standards.
The basic principles of No Child Left Behind are clear. Education standards are set by each state and students are tested to see if they are reaching the benchmarks. Schools in which students don't reach the benchmarks (or don't make a specific amount of progress) for two years in a row are identified for improvement and the schools must then work to strengthen the related program, whether it's reading, mathematics, or special education.
It is certainly true that reform is never easy. But with a record level of federal investment in education, new options and choices for parents, and unprecedented flexibility for state and local officials, No Child Left Behind is already making a positive difference for thousands of students, including those with disabilities. And that's great news for every parent, every teacher, every school leader, and every student in North Dakota and throughout America.
Rod Paige
Paige is the U.S. secretary of education.
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