In January 2002, the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was signed into law by President Bush. NCLB establishes a revised framework for New York State and schools that is closely aligned with our current policies and our State reform agenda for standards, assessment, accountability and school improvement.
The Board of Regents' key strategies to close the gaps in student academic performance provide the basis for implementing NCLB in New York. Our focus is on providing leadership and direction to schools in using the flexibility and resources NCLB provides to support six of the key strategies:
Improving classroom instruction
Strengthening teaching
Retaining and recruiting effective school leaders
Ensuring success by giving students the extra time and help they need and by removing barriers to their learning
Giving students a strong, successful start in education
Helping schools to be accountable for student success
Since January, the Department has been working to prepare an orderly implementation of NCLB in New York. Key elements of the implementation include:
Consultation and Communication
Committee of Practitioners advisory group
This NCLB website
Regional information sessions
Policy and Legal Guidance
Alignment of Regents policy for phasing in rigorous State certification requirements for teachers and paraprofessionals with federal requirements in NCLB.
Alignment of the current State System of Accountability for School Success (SASS) with the federal accountability requirements in NCLB.
Legislative and regulatory action on safe public school choice.
Commissioner's regulations on public school choice and supplemental educational services. Emergency regulations were first adopted in July; revised emergency regulations were later approved in October.
State and Local Applications for Funds under the NCLB Act
New York's Consolidated State Application for the major formula-based grant programs, such as Title I, was approved in early July. This was required to receive the more than $1.3 billion in federal aid made available to New York under NCLB.
The Consolidated Local Application for school districts to apply for their local allocations under the major formula-based grant programs was made available in early August, along with a separate application for the Title III English Language Acquisition program. Department review and approval of submitted applications began in September.
Schools in Need of Improvement/Supplemental Educational Services Providers
Title I schools in need of improvement were identified on September 4.
Seventy organizations (community-based organizations, for-profit and not-for-profit companies, school districts, BOCES and higher educational institutions) were approved by the Department to provide extra help to students in schools that need to improve.
In the coming months, the Department will continue to consult and communicate with the Board of Regents, the Committee of Practitioners and the general public on key NCLB implementation issues.
We will continue to provide support to school districts, with special attention to the new NCLB requirements for teachers and paraprofessionals as well as public school choice and supplemental educational services.
We will turn more of our efforts to leadership and technical assistance activities related directly to improving core academic instruction, teacher preparation and professional development, identification and support of best practices (scientifically-based) and expanded use of instructional technology in the classroom.
We will also reexamine how we deliver services to schools with the goal of expanding our use of technology and improving the effectiveness of our regional delivery system.