WASHINGTON — The Bush administration on Monday announced additional revisions to the No Child Left Behind Act, the controversial education initiative that has been assailed for imposing strict testing requirements on the nation's public schools.
The new policy will make it easier for rural teachers, science teachers and teachers of multiple subjects to be considered "highly qualified," thus meeting a requirement of the law that all public school teachers of core subjects -- such as math, English, history and science -- achieve that standard.
Monday's action marks the third time since December that the Education Department has announced changes to No Child Left Behind, which establishes broad federal testing requirements for elementary and middle schools and became law two years ago with much bipartisan fanfare. Since then, however, conservatives have blasted what they call a big-government approach to education reform, liberals have railed against what they term inadequate funding for compliance, and state legislatures across the country have rebelled against the law, which uses federal funding as an incentive for schools to measure progress in meeting defined standards.
As part of those standards, teachers of core subjects must be designated highly qualified by the 2005-06 school year -- meaning they must have bachelor's degrees and teacher certification. They also must have demonstrated knowledge of the subjects they teach.
Monday's announcement gives rural teachers, who may be highly qualified in one subject but teach others as well, three additional years to qualify in the other topics they teach. It gives states the flexibility to give science teachers a broad "science" qualification, rather than requiring a specific qualification for biology, chemistry and physics. And it gives states the authority to determine that veteran teachers are highly qualified in multiple subjects without going back to school or getting additional degrees.
The changes reflect the difficulties schools across the country are facing, particularly in rural and low-income areas, as they try to comply with the new federal standards, education officials said. They do not require congressional approval.
"We listened to educators from across the country, and we learned," Education Secretary Rod Paige said. "Today we are responding with changes that make sense, supporting state efforts to strengthen teacher quality and aiding the professionals in the classroom."
