No Child Left Behind Act needed to protect students with disabilities

I read with interest the Jan. 30 article in The Hub titled "R-FH Board Seeks Changes to No Child Left Behind Act." The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional Board of Education passed a resolution that calls for changes in the No Child Left Behind Act. The article stated that a resolution — drafted by the Leadership for Educational Excellence group — was approved by the Rumson-Fair Haven Board of Education on Jan. 20. Apparently, many school boards are calling for such changes.

I object to the changes cited as being part of this resolution. They have the unfortunate potential to significantly water down the No Child left Behind Act. This law is powerful because it forces school districts to be held accountable for the education of its subgroups, such as special education and economically disadvantaged students. In January 2002, President Bush made an effort to help disadvantaged people by enacting this law to ensure an equal education for all people.

The R-FH Board of Education resolution for changes to No Child Left Behind asks for assessing special education students based on the fulfillment of individualized education programs.

This does not hold school districts accountable. The students receiving special education would not be accounted for as a group according to this change.

Assessment scores of students with disabilities especially need to be evaluated and compared as a group to the state standards of achievement — just as their non-disabled peers. Given the historically poor educational outcomes of students with disabilities — early high school drop-out rates, over-representation in the juvenile justice system, and the development of behavior problems when academic needs are unmet, schools need to analyze special education statewide test scores as a group.

They need to adjust programs, offer teacher training, and provide interventions accordingly. There must be the same oversight, sanctions, reporting, and responsibility to students with disabilities as there is to students without disabilities.

Reasons for including students with special needs in accountability systems is clarified in the Federal Register, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2003.

The U.S. Department of Education stated that students with disabilities accrue positive benefits when they are included in school accountability systems. Educators realize that these students also count, just like all other students; they understand that they need to make sure that these students learn to high levels, just like other students.

The No Child Left Behind Act is promising because it offers everyone an opportunity of getting a thorough and efficient education. Without an appropriate education, life choices are severely limited.

Parents of children with special needs and other minority groups need to make their voices heard. The proposed revisions have the possibility of leaving some children behind.

Don’t let the Leadership for Educational Excellence group be the only voice your congressional delegates hear!

Lynn Guiser

Tinton Falls