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Targeting Human NeedsAcademic Opportunity for Disadvantaged Students
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Compassion Spotlight
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The Need
The Response
School Choice
Tutoring for Students in Low-Performing Schools
Ongoing National Leadership
In 2002 President Bush signed into law, No Child Left Behind (NCLB). This sweeping education reform increased funding for disadvantaged children by 60 percent and insisted that states develop accountability standards, evaluate local schools and inform parents of the results. Prior to NCLB, low-income families, in particular, were often relegated to the education sidelines and provided few options if their child's school was underperforming.
The desperate situation faced by many students in low-performing school districts demands the enlistment of all partners committed to improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged youth. The law did just that. America's nonprofit organizations have proven to be vital allies in improving achievement. While challenges remain, achievement scores in the last eight years have risen by 8% and the achievement gap has narrowed by 12%.
Alongside aggressive efforts to boost quality and accountability in traditional public schools, the Bush Administration has led a wide range of efforts to expand the work of faith-based and other nonpublic schools and community service groups that offer academic opportunities for disadvantaged youth.To expand options for children in low-performing schools, the Administration supports a continuum of education options for families, including magnet schools, online learning, charter schools, private schools, and home schools. In 2002, the Office of Innovation and Improvement in the U.S. Department of Education was created to lead these efforts in concert with the FBCI. This work includes the following programs.
Through theThe Charter Schools Program (CSP) and other programs, the Bush Administration has provided more than $1.8 billion to open new charter schools and $320 million for facilities support. There were 2,000 charters in America in 2001. Today there are over 4,300 in 40 States, plus the District of Columbia, which serve over 1.3 million children.
The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program is the first Federally funded K-12 scholarship program. The Opportunity Scholarship Program offers low-income parents residing in the District of Columbia up to $7,500 for tuition, transportation, and fees for each child, which the parents may use at a private school of their choice. In the 2007-08 school year alone, approximately 1,900 students participated in the program, attending 54 private schools across the District.
Based on survey and focus group findings, parents of children enrolled in the program are extremely satisfied and DC residents support the program. A 2005 Georgetown University study on the first year of the program found that participating parents are more involved in their child’s education and that the program has increased communication between parents and their children. The report also showed that children participating in this program demonstrated improved attitudes toward learning and enhanced self-confidence. Read the full 2005 Georgetown Study (PDF 486 KB)Pell Grants for Kids was proposed by President Bush in his 2009 Budget. If passed by Congress, it would provide scholarships for eligible low-income students attending low-performing public schools to pay for tuition, fees, and other education-related expenses at higher-performing out-of-district public schools or nearby private or faith-based schools.
Tutoring for Students in Low-Performing Schools
Supplemental Educational Service (SES)is a key parental choice component of No Child Left Behind. SES is available to all students from low-income families who attend a persistently low-performing school. Families may select a State-approved tutor who will best meet their child's academic needs. In 2006-2007, more than 535,000 children received tutoring through SES providers, some of which were faith-based and community organizations. Several studies have documented the effectiveness of SES in improving student achievement. A June 2007 RAND Corporation study found that
Read the full 2007 RAND Corporation Study (PDF-664 KB)
The Department of Education's Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives efforts included the following:
The effects of these initiatives extend far beyond the Federal level. The charter school movement is growing, SES options are expanding, and new choice models are developing. 622,000 students are participating in school choice programs. 24 school choice programs are operating in 15 States and the District of Columbia .