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Quality Education for All: Title I/No Child Left Behind
CLE continues to focus on the largest elementary and secondary education program -- Title I -- as the a primary vehicle for broad-based school reform. Through our work we seek to mobilize parents, community advocates, and school personnel, to use federal Title I, and state and local law and policy to bring about broad-based school and district-level reform using varied strategies including, parent education and mobilization, developing federal, state, and local policies which support standards-based school reform, and school partnerships for program improvement, which seek to improve the core quality of curriculum and instruction.
Background
- Title I/No Child Left Behind Overview (PDF) Brief description setting out the basic framework for making states, schools districts, and schools accountable under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as reauthorized by the No Child Left Behind Act for ensuring that all students become proficient in the skills and knowledge identified in the states' standards established for all children.
- Title I as a Tool for Parent Involvement (PDF) An introduction to the key parent planning and participation provisions in Title I for holding schools accountable to families. Action steps and other recommendations are identified.
- School Parent Involvement Policy: Sec 1118 Outline (PDF) Comprehensive outline of the mandatory components in Title I that describe how families, teachers, and administrators will knowledgeably and effectively participate in developing the school's Title I schoolwide program plan or program plan as appropriate.
- Title I Outline: Selected Sections on Local Requirements (PDF) Annotated outline of Title I of the ESEA pertaining to Local Educational Agency Plans (Sec. 1112), Schoolwide Programs (Sec. 1114), Targeted Assistance Schools (Sec. 1115), and Parent Involvement (Sec. 1118).
- New Opportunities for Improving the Quality of Education for Low Income Students (PDF) An overview of important changes to Title I following it's reauthorization in 1994. Document needs to be read with updated Overview (2002) above, describing changes as a result of Title I reauthorization in 2001, as amended by No Child Left Behind Act.
- What Does It Take? Title I Schoolwide Programs (PDF) A description of educational program quality levers added to Title I as reauthorized in 1994, including an enriched and accelerated curriculum and effective instruction, high quality and professional staff, professional development, effective individual instruction, and parental involvement. [Note updated Overview (2002) above.]
Articles and Publications
- American Bar Association Calls for Action on Right to High-Quality Education (PDF) Press release announcing ABA’s adoption of three resolutions pertaining to securing the right of every child to a high-quality education. CLE co-director Paul Weckstein, as part of the ABA's Commission on Youth at Risk, was the primary author of the resolutions and the respective accompanying reports set forth below.
- 118A: Right to a High-Quality Educational Program (PDF) This resolution urges attorneys and bar associations to help secure the right of all students to a high quality public education through improvements in state and federal law, representation of students, parents, and organizations, and community legal education.
- 118B: Right to Remain in School (PDF) This resolution by the ABA calls for improving laws and implementing and enforcing policies that will help advance students’ right to remain in school, including by promoting a safe and supportive school environment, proactively addressing problems leading to students leaving school through dropping out or disciplinary exclusion or involvement with the juvenile justice system.
- 118C: Right to Resume Education (PDF) This resolution seeks laws and policies that support the right of youth who have left school to return and complete their education. The accompanying report discusses the legal bases for such right, the research and policy arguments for eliminating barriers to return, establishing high-quality age appropriate program options, and creating coordination systems that enable youth to understand and avail themselves of those opportunities.
- Paul Weckstein & Stephen J. Wermiel, "The Need for Equal Opportunity and a Right to Quality Education" (Human Rights, Summer 2008) (PDF) CLE co-director Paul Weckstein sets forth the rationale for and the legal bases of every child’s right to quality education, including under Title I/NCLB and civil rights statutes.
- Paul Weckstein, "A Lever for Reform: Does NCLB leave any place for vocational education?" (Leadership Insider, 2004) (PDF) CLE co-director Weckstein argues that, on its face, the intent and purpose of the No Child Left Behind Act is consistent with the goals of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins); therefore, we need to conceive of academic mastery as something quite different from grim drill narrowly aimed at test score gains and to discard the outdated notion of vocational education as narrowly defined occupational training for specific jobs.
- Paul Weckstein, "Accountability" in Reporting on Race, Education & No Child Left Behind: a guide for journalists, Race and Public Policy Program, Applied Research Center, 2003 (PDF) CLE co-director Weckstein argues for a shift in how we view NCLB's accountability provisions from punitive and stigmatizing to a system of responses that relies more on on encouraging continuous improvement and could improve student performance and insure that no students languish in ineffective programs.
- Paul Weckstein, "Accountability and Student Mobility under Title I of the No Child Left Behind Act" (The Journal of Negro Education, Winter 2003, Howard University) (PDF)
- Paul Weckstein, "School Reform and Enforceable Rights to Quality Education" from Law & School Reform: Six Strategies for Promoting Educational Equity, edited by Jay Heubert, Yale Press (1999) (PDF) Essay by co-director Weckstein describing the framework for standards based education reform and the kind of framework necessary to implement the right of every child to a high-quality education.
Additional Material Pertaining to Quality Education (Title I/NCLB)
- Tools and Assistance CLE developed tools and presentations for parents, advocates, students, legislators and lawyers in advocating, organizing and litigating for a high quality education for all children.
- Legislative Advocacy CLE's Testimony Before and Comments Submitted to the U.S. Senate (e.g. Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee) and U.S. House of Representatives (e.g. Committees on Labor and Education).
- Administrative Advocacy CLE's Comments primarily in response to Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) from USED, including Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, and Office for Civil Rights.
- Pleadings and Memoranda Legal Documents, including administrative and judicial complaints and memoranda, briefs, pertinent memoranda on varied legal matters pertinent to effective representation of student-clients.
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