Federal role grows in local schools

March 10, 2003

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2003/03/03_pugmiret_leftbehindthree/

Time 00.02 - 03.03

Prelistening

1. Match the underlined words with the correct expression from Set A, then match with its synonym in Set B.

The federal government has expanded its role in ____________by making ____________ demands for ____________student ____________. More than a year ago, President Bush signed into law ____________ changes to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The so-called "No Child ____________" law requires all states and local school districts to follow strict rules on student testing, teacher training and accountability. ____________ say the law ensures much needed school reform. But ____________ claim it's a threat to local decision making.

Set A

sweeping left behind achievement public schools

raising supporters critics unprecedented

Set B

increasing those in favor entirely new standards

not helped to make progress opponents schools funded by public money far-reaching

2. Match each word to its opposite. Can you give the corresponding nouns or verbs?

E.g., happy = miserable, happiness, misery

supporters restrict

federal threaten

ensure state

expand critics

1. What's the difference between federal and state law in the US?

2. Should education be a matter for local authorities or for national government?

PART 1

What is the bill in question?

When did it become law?

Who signed it, and who is defending it?

PART 2

Fill in the blanks with the exact expressions used in the recording and give synonyms which fit grammatically:

"No idea in politics has hurt children more than the false and misleading assumption that

(1)______ determines how well students learn." No Child Left Behind increased federal education spending, but the money comes with lots of (2) . The new rules require all states to adopt specific testing and accountability systems. (3) schools that receive federal Title I money must make progress toward meeting state standards or allow students to move to other schools. (4) schools could face state takeover. The law also requires states to raise the qualifications for teachers and classroom assistants.

What could happen to schools which do badly over a long period of time?

PART 3

What is meddling? Who is accused of meddling and why? What two other expressions are used to mean meddling?

PART 4

What does Audrey Johnson think are proper roles for federal government in education?

Postlistening

Johnson says she agrees with the basic concept of No Child Left Behind, and its goal to close the achievement gaps between students of color and their white classmates. She says she also wants to see all students succeed in the classroom.

Is this a reasonable goal of education? Is it realistic? Are there more important goals?

ANSWERS

Prelistening

The federal government has expanded its role in public schools by making unprecedented demands for raising student achievement. More than a year ago, President Bush signed into law sweeping changes to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The so-called "No Child Left Behind" law requires all states and local school districts to follow strict rules on student testing, teacher training and accountability. Supporters say the law ensures much needed school reform. But critics claim it's a threat to local decision making.

Match the underlined words with their synonyms below:

public schools schools funded by public money

unprecedented entirely new

raising increasing

achievement standards

sweeping far-reaching

left behind not helped to make progress

supporters those in favor

critics opponents

Match each word to its opposite. Can you give the corresponding nouns or verbs?

E.g., happy = miserable, happiness, misery

supporters critics support, criticism

federal state federation, state

ensure threaten ?; threat

expand restrict expansion, restriction

1. What's the difference between federal and state law in the US?

2. Should education be a matter for local authorities or for national government?

PART 1

What is the bill in question? No child left behind

When did it become law? Jan, 2002

Who signed it, and who is defending it? Bush, Ed secretary Rod Paige

St. Paul, Minn. — When President Bush signed the "No Child Left Behind" act into law in January 2002, he dramatically increased federal involvement in the way states and school districts do their jobs. The original Elementary and Secondary Education Act, signed in 1965, began the commitment of federal money to schools to help poor children get a good education and escape poverty. U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige says billions of dollars were spent over the years with no expectations for classroom results.

PART 2

Fill in the blanks with the exact expressions used in the recording and give synonyms which fit grammatically:

"No idea in politics has hurt children more than the false and misleading assumption that spending alone determines how well students learn." No Child Left Behind increased federal education spending, but the money comes with lots of strings attached. The new rules require all states to adopt specific testing and accountability systems. Under-achieving schools that receive federal Title I money must make progress toward meeting state standards or allow students to move to other schools. Persistently failing schools could face state takeover. The law also requires states to raise the qualifications for teachers and classroom assistants.

spending alone only investment

strings attached constraints, restrictions

under-achieving poorly performing

persistently failing consistently under-achieving, regularly poor

What could happen to schools which do badly over a long period of time?

PART 3

What is meddling? Who is accused of meddling and why? What two other expressions are used to mean meddling?

interfering, federal in state affairs; inappropriate intrusion, micromanaging

Paige says the federal government wants to see improved student achievement in every state as a return on its investment.

"We don't tell the states what standards they should set for their students and their state. We simply say set standards. The states will determine what standards will be. Then we say measure against those standards to determine whether the standard is being reached or not. And that would not be I think in any reasonable person's mind the federal government meddling in states' business."

But federal meddling is exactly how many local school leaders describe the law. They object to what they see as inappropriate intrusion into their decision-making.

Minneapolis school board member Audrey Johnson criticized the new federal requirements during a recent public hearing on district budget cuts. "This is a federal bill that has encroached upon local issues more than any other bill in educational history." Johnson says she agrees with the basic concept of No Child Left Behind, and its goal to close the achievement gaps between students of color and their white classmates. She says she also wants to see all students succeed in the classroom. What she doesn't want is micro-managing from Washington.

PART 4

What does Audrey Johnson think are proper roles for federal government in education?

set parameters, consider the bigger picture, say the state needs to have a plan

"The federal government I feel has a role to play, and that's where they have to set certain parameters, and they have to look at the bigger picture and the outcomes and say the state needs to have a plan to include all these kids and allow the states the flexibility, because it's really a state constitutional responsibility is education. It's not a federal one. That's one that's clearly left to the states."

Postlistening

Is this a reasonable goal of education? Is it realistic? Are there more important goals?

Transcript

"No idea in politics has hurt children more than the false and misleading assumption that spending alone determines how well children learn." Paige said.

No Child Left Behind increased federal education spending, but the money comes with lots of strings attached. The new rules require all states to adopt specific testing and accountability systems. Under-achieving schools that receive federal Title I money must make progress toward meeting state standards or allow students to move to other schools. Persistently failing schools could face state takeover. The law also requires states to raise the qualifications for teachers and classroom assistants.

Paige says the federal government wants to see improved student achievement in every state as a return on its investment.

"We don't tell the states what standards they should set for their students and their state," Paige said. "We simply say set standards. The states will determine what standards will be. Then we say measure against those standards to determine whether the standard is being reached or not. And that would not be in any reasonable person's mind the federal government meddling in states' business."

But federal meddling is exactly how many local school leaders describe the law. They object to what they see as inappropriate intrusion into their decision-making.

Minneapolis school board member Audrey Johnson criticized the new federal requirements during a recent public hearing on district budget cuts.

"This is a federal bill that has encroached upon local issues more than any other bill in educational history," Johnson said.

Johnson agrees with the basic concept of No Child Left Behind, and it's goal to close the achievement gaps between students of color and their white classmates. She says she also wants to see all students succeed in the classroom. What she doesn't want is micro-managing from Washington.

"The federal government I feel has a role to play, and that's where they have to set certain parameters, and they have to look at the bigger picture and the outcomes and say the state needs to have plan to include all these kids and allow the states the flexibility, because it's really a state constitutional responsibility is education. It's not a federal one. That's one that's clearly left to the states."