The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has posted the state’s application for flexibility under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, which was reauthorized in 2001 as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.
KDE welcomes public comment on the state’s application, which is posted on KDE’s Unbridled Learning page, here. Comments and feedback may be sent to eseawaiverrequest@education.ky.gov. Comments will be accepted until Tuesday, November 8.
To help states move forward with education reforms designed to improve academic achievement and increase the quality of instruction for all students, in September, President Barack Obama and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan outlined how states can get relief from provisions of NCLB in exchange for serious state-led efforts to close achievement gaps, promote rigorous accountability and ensure that all students are on track to graduate college- and career-ready.
Since the passage of NCLB, Kentucky has used a two-tiered accountability model for its public schools and districts that provides both state- and federal-level designations. If the state’s application for flexibility is accepted, the Unbridled Learning Accountability Model would provide a single designation for both state and federal purposes.
The proposed accountability model also may be seen on the Unbridled Learning page.
The deadline for submission of the flexibility request is November 14, and the U.S. Department of Education will review applications in December. As of October 20, 42 states have indicated that they will request flexibility.
States can request waivers of 10 provisions of NCLB, including determining Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), implementing school improvement requirements, allocation of federal improvement funding and more. States must address four principles in their requests for flexibility:
· college- and career-ready expectations for all students
· recognition, accountability and support for schools and districts
· support for effective instruction and leadership
· reduction of duplication and unnecessary reporting requirements
See more details on the flexibility opportunity here.
SOURCE: KDE Press release
1 comment:
Back to square one: Why are we asking Washington for permission about how we educate kids in Kentucky?
From what I recall, we invested a lot of effort to create a plan to try to get some big federal money about a year or two ago only to have other states selected. So now we have got the big plan to implement without the funds but we also have to ask permission to implement what is basically the same plan with no funding?
SO we don't get the federal funds because our plan wasn't innovative enough and if we don't implement that which was rejected initially, we are going to lose title funds or some other Washington funding for the underserved? Now that is what I call supportive federalism!
Let's face it, our own state doesn't have the manpower or creativity to develop a curriculum or assessment instrument and instead we have to contract it out. So if our own state education officials can lead us, how is someone from Washington going to do that?
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