State legislators sympathize with some of the criticisms of federal and state quality assurance programs for education ? but only to a point.
Upon learning of criticisms voiced at an April 29 parent support group meeting, state Rep. John Stakoe (R-Highland Township) and Sen. Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) both say they see changes coming to Education YES, the state-legislated program designed to bring public schools into compliance with the federal No Child Left Behind program.
Clarkston school officials and some parents said the government mandates are unfair because of differing state yardsticks (and measurement of ‘progress?), differing degrees of student learning and differing perceptions of the consequences of ‘failure.?
‘I can see what might cause the concerns,? Bishop said last week. ‘We’re going to try to give them some leeway.?
‘There’s still a lot of issues to be worked out,? Stakoe said, noting that full implementation will not happen until the 2005-2006 school year. ‘There are still some open-ended questions.?
Stakoe said he specifically understands criticism of the ‘annual yearly progress? system, which is being used to track individual schools that could be in jeopardy of receiving a ‘failing? grade.
‘It’s a legitimate question,? he said. ‘If you’re already near the top, you’re not going to show as much ‘progress.??
‘Oakland County schools have always been good,? Bishop said, and the legislative attempt is to ‘be more lenient? with schools beginning with higher student test scores.
Criticism of the Michigan Educational Assessment Program as the method to score student achievement is not new, Stakoe said, but there is a need for a standardized test of some kind.
‘Academics is about assessment,? he said. ‘That’s what we should be doing. We’re all assessed on something.?
Neither legislator suggested details on how Education YES should be revised, but Bishop said sensitivity to school officials? feedback must be balanced by a responsibility to encourage improvement.
‘We don’t want to forget our other obligation, and that is that we’re watching them,? Bishop said. ‘We all want quality schools, and we want to keep them accountable.?
‘I think it’s a bit premature to become unhinged about this,? Stakoe said. ‘The president didn’t throw [No Child Left Behind] at us and expect us to do this overnight.?
Bishop said he works with an educational foundation in Rochester, and attempts to keep lines of communication open with school administrators. He wishes more school officials would do the same.
‘I hear the complaints from my colleagues who have school officials who won’t talk to them,? he said. ‘They can always blame it on the legislature, but what good does that do??
The Clarkston parent booster meeting included conversation about upcoming tax proposals along with the federal and state mandates. Legislators see a relation, as well.
Bishop said in his three terms in Lansing, there have been nothing but increases in public school funding. He would like to see less talk on that subject, and more on quality.
‘I think the schools have got to stop talking about one issue and one issue only ? school financing,? Bishop said. ‘We need to stop the rhetoric at these meetings.?
Stakoe also mentioned the relation of finances to educational quality.
‘Let’s make sure we’re getting what we pay for,? he said.