State Asks For Community Input On NCLB Regulations

The state Department of Education announced last month that it intends to file an application for Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Flexibility with the federal DOE ― and it’s looking for community input on the draft proposal.

According to the state DOE, the ESEA Flexibility will support ongoing efforts to raise expectations for students and better support educators, more accurately and fairly identify schools’ strengths and areas for improvement, target inter- ventions and support strategies to reward high-performing schools and address areas for improvement, and support effective instruction and leadership. If the application is approved, the program would be implemented during the 2013-2014 school year.

The federal DOE has offered each state educational agency the oppor- tunity to request flexibility regarding specific requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act in exchange for state-developed plans for improved educational goals, increased equity and higher quality instruction.

To view the application and comment on the draft proposal via an online survey, visit hawaiidoe.org.

“Hawaii is taking another bold step forward to transform education,” superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi stated. “ESEA Flexibility will provide our schools, parents, students, and the community with a rigorous alternative to the current No Child Left Behind one-size-fits-all approach and redefine academic success beyond Adequate Yearly Progress.”

Survey comments are due Friday (August 17) For more about ESEA Flexibility, visit ed.gov/esea/flexibility.