ELC Proves No Child Left Behind Critics Misguided on Unfunded Mandate Claims; National Cost Study Released 2/11/2004
From: Kimberly Tulp, 202-261-2605, kbt@educationleaders.org, or Nicole Keating, 202-973-4788, nkeating@fitzgerald.com, both for Education Leaders Council and AccountabilityWorks WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 /U.S. Newswwire/ -- Committed to education reform policies and programs that focus on academic accountability, teacher quality, school choice and educational technology, Education Leaders Council today announced the release of, "NCLB Under a Microscope," a new study that details the fiscal impact of NCLB on states and local education agencies. Sponsored by ELC and prepared by AccountabilityWorks, the study addresses the "hard costs" of compliance with the requirements of NCLB in the areas of accountability, personnel, information management and school improvement, challenging claims that NCLB is an unfounded mandate. "Once and for all, this study lays to rest the claim of insufficient federal funding for states to comply with the requirements of this law," said Lisa Graham Keegan, CEO of Education Leaders Council, in expert testimony presented today before the House Budget Committee. "No one considered the Civil Rights Act an 'unfunded mandate.' Under that landmark legislation, it was a moral obligation to provide equal opportunities for everyone and the No Child Left Behind Act is no different. We must move past funding issues and focus now on the most efficient and effective use of these funds to make this obligation a reality in classrooms nationwide." The study offers a thorough examination of the new requirements under NCLB and the fiscal impact of those requirements in four substantial areas -- accountability, personnel, information management and school improvement. For every year studied, it shows that the additional revenues provided exceed the state and local costs of these requirements, resulting in an annual surplus for general school improvement. Further examination of previous NCLB revenue and cost studies also supports the conclusion that the law is adequately funded. In examining the financial impact of NCLB on states and local education agencies (LEAs), the study followed three critical steps: -- First, it compared NCLB to its predecessor, the Improving America's Schools Act (IASA), and to other laws that NCLB affects. -- Second, it outlined the most effective and efficient options available to states and LEAs in complying with the law. -- Third, it determined the cost of implementing these options. The completed study, NCLB Under a Microscope: A Cost Analysis of the Fiscal Impact of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 on States and Local Education Agencies is available at: http://www.educationleaders.org/elc/events/elc_cost_study-04.pdf ------- About ELC: ELC, a member-based organization comprised of policymakers, administrators, teachers and parents, advocates for a new day in education that focuses on making education work better students -- not the system. ELC advances policies and programs that support academic accountability, teacher quality, school choice and educational technology. Based in Washington DC, ELC acts aggressively at the grassroots and national levels to overcome the status quo, break down barriers to change, and pave the way for all student to access and learn through quality education. For more information, visit: http://www.educationleaders.org. About AccountabilityWorks: AccountabilityWorks, a non-profit research and consulting organization, is dedicated to assisting states in the design and implementation of high quality elementary and secondary education reforms. AW works on such initiatives with individual states, consortia of states, and other reform-minded organizations. AW believes that the next few years represent a unique opportunity to ensure that all students passing through elementary and secondary education receive a solid foundation of skills and knowledge on which to build their futures. For more information, visit: http://www.accountabilityworks.org. To learn more about Education Leaders Council, call 202-261-2600 or visit the Web site: http://www.educationleaders.org. |