Response to NCLB, Connecticut & Leadership
Eric-
Be assured that Allan Taylor and I plan to write a letter to the Editor of New York Times that you cite "NCLB, Connecticut & Leadership." I'm not at all sure on what basis the statement you quoted from New York Times paragraph is based -- certainly not on any data (national or in state I know). The statement is way out of bounds compared to the reality. We have problems -- but frankly the whole nation has these problems and they are decades old. We have acknowledged these gaps and the need to significantly reduce them for years. We are beginning to see through an analysis of the last 5 years of CMT data that we are actually closing those gaps - but still have a long way to go. And the closing of those gaps is correlated with an over 600 million dollar infusion of state money targeted for priority school districts in curriculum and instruction, pre-school and after and before school and summer school programs. NCLB just started in 2002 and the effect of the testing requirement can't be measured since it doesn't even take effect until 2006. I plan to be much more articulate and pointed in a letter to the editor than I am right now. As always I value your perspective and views on the matter.
Betty Sternberg, Commissioner of Education, Connecticut
Be assured that Allan Taylor and I plan to write a letter to the Editor of New York Times that you cite "NCLB, Connecticut & Leadership." I'm not at all sure on what basis the statement you quoted from New York Times paragraph is based -- certainly not on any data (national or in state I know). The statement is way out of bounds compared to the reality. We have problems -- but frankly the whole nation has these problems and they are decades old. We have acknowledged these gaps and the need to significantly reduce them for years. We are beginning to see through an analysis of the last 5 years of CMT data that we are actually closing those gaps - but still have a long way to go. And the closing of those gaps is correlated with an over 600 million dollar infusion of state money targeted for priority school districts in curriculum and instruction, pre-school and after and before school and summer school programs. NCLB just started in 2002 and the effect of the testing requirement can't be measured since it doesn't even take effect until 2006. I plan to be much more articulate and pointed in a letter to the editor than I am right now. As always I value your perspective and views on the matter.
Betty Sternberg, Commissioner of Education, Connecticut
posted by Eric J. Cooper at 1:55 PM
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