Obama plan overhaul of No Child Left Behind

    The Obama administration has unveiled its plan to overhaul the No Child Left Behind guidelines for America’s schools. The plan calls for states to adopt standards that prepare students for college or a career, rather than adjusting curriculum to prepare for standardized tests.

    The Obama administration has unveiled its plan to overhaul the No Child Left Behind guidelines for America’s schools.

    WHYY’s Megan Pinto has local reaction. [audio:100315MPEDUCATION.mp3]

    The plan calls for states to adopt standards that prepare students for college or a career, rather than adjusting curriculum to prepare for standardized tests.

    • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

    It also proposes to reward schools that show growth and close achievement gaps while requiring rigorous interventions in the lowest-performing schools.

    But while the administration hails the plan as one that will revolutionize education, it’s receiving harsh criticism from teachers unions.

    Ted Kirsch, president of the American Federation of Teachers in Pennsylvania, says he’s glad changes are being made…but not at the expense of teachers.

    Kirsch: It seems to be putting all the responsibility on the backs of teachers without giving teachers any authority to make changes. It’s a top down approach. If they really wanna know how to improve education, they should be talking to teachers not all the educational gurus have never been in a classroom.

    The education law was last updated in 2001 under President George W. Bush.

    WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

    Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

    Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal