October 29, 2007: Coalition Letter to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

October 29, 2007

The Honorable Edward Kennedy
Chairman
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Michael Enzi
Ranking Member
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Kennedy and Ranking Member Enzi:

As the leaders of organizations representing millions of educators, state legislators, school administrators, and school board members with a strong personal stake in and commitment to ensuring great public schools for every child, we urge you to follow an open and collaborative process for reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act/No Child Left Behind Act that will allow ample time for all stakeholders to provide meaningful input.

As you know, the current No Child Left Behind law has had significant unintended consequences for students, educators, schools, school districts, and States. The over-reliance on standardized testing has led to a punitive system that penalizes, rather than helps, struggling schools and a narrowing of the curriculum away from the well-rounded education necessary for success in the 21st century. It is critical that this reauthorization move us away from these negative impacts and toward a bold vision that reflects what it truly takes to make a great public school.

Crafting a reauthorization bill that responds to these concerns requires significant input from all impacted stakeholders. We expect you and your staff to provide open channels of communication through which we can provide comments and recommendations on any draft language. Therefore, we urge you to ensure that at least two weeks are provided for the appropriate review and analysis of key proposals between the release of all draft titles and mark-up of the bill.

We look forward to engaging in a constructive reauthorization process that allows for an airing of all views and an opportunity for meaningful dialogue on difficult issues so that the reauthorization brings the focus back to teaching and learning and away from labeling and punishment.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Paul Houston
Executive Director, American Association of School Administrators

Edward J. McElroy
President, American Federation of Teachers

Gail Connelly
President, National Association of Elementary School Principals

Gerald N. Tirozzi, Ph.D.
Executive Director, National Association of Secondary School Principals

Rae Ann Kelsch
Chair, North Dakota House Education Committee
Chair, National Conference of State Legislatures Education Standing Committee

Reg Weaver
President, National Education Association

Anne L. Bryant
Executive Director, National School Boards Association