An interesting announcement on U.S Department of Education
site has been posted saying that the time has come to replace the ESEA with
something that supports all students, expands principal, teachers, and school
support, while preserving accountability for student progress (Ed.gov., 2015). I wish to follow the changes of the law on my
blog and examine the worth of the changes for children, teachers, and
administrators.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), was first
enacted under President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 who set goals for equal
education opportunities for all. The Act provided grants and for low income
districts, grants for student text books, centers for special education
students, and scholarships for low income college students. Under George Bush
the Law was reauthorized in 2002 with the new name “No Child Left Behind” while
performing new national discussions for improving education. President Barack Obama
reauthorized NCLB in 2012 while offerings flexibilities for states regarding
requirements of the law in exchange for comprehensive plans for closing the
achievement gaps, improving instruction and student outcomes while increasing
equity.
As we examine
history, one should think of what was occurring in the United States in the1960s
when the ESEA was enacted. The U.S. was engaged in the Vietnam war during the
1960s, the arrests of Martin Luther King in Selma Alabama with over 2,600
protestors, Miranda versus Arizona; the “Miranda warning” was instituted in
which prosecution was unable to use statements given by individuals in police custody
without administering certain minimal safe-guard procedures. The prison
population in the U.S. has long been filled with those who are not properly protected
by the Miranda warning due to low educational, and vocational achievements
(Brownlie, et al., 2004) and those at risk with psychiatric disease (Beitchman,
1985). Although the intent of the Miranda warning was to address one’s right to
silence and the right for legal counsel to be issued at the time of one’s arrest (Rost
& McGregor, 2012) many found themselves unprotected.
Prior to George Bush becoming President, he released a
strategy for improving education in America called “America 2000.” After reading the educational strategies of
the soon to be president of the United States, one would have assumed that
he meant well for the nation. Nine headings were included in this document;
including New Merit Schools, School Choice for Parents, National Assessment for
progress in Education, Centers for resource literacy, flexibility and
educational reform and more. Considering all of the issues, those who have
closely examined the document by George Bush can now see the ambiguities and
lack of clarity for the path he planned for reaching the destination for
education in America as metaphorical language was used throughout (Staton &
Peeples, 2000). Once Bush became
president, he enacted the NCLB Act of 2001 which authorized several federal
programs administered by the states, requiring testing of students between
grades 3-8 in reading and math and once in in high school. By 2014,
students were expected to meet competence levels. The emphasis was on parent
options, research-based education, accountability, and flexibility (OSPI, n.d.).
As one who has served in public education and has witnessed how inequities were
prevalent especially in urban areas, one must wonder how laws that were clearly not successful in providing equitable education and rather perpetuated punishing
districts having inequities was able to be reauthorized under each president
to follow President Bush.
Next came President
Barack Obama who said that a child can succeed with proper education, fulfill
their God given possibilities, and that public education serves as a dominant
force for civil rights (2009). He also
praised education for being the big weapon against inequality as it can unlock
the doors enabling one to fulfill God’s calling. The problem was that his
speech on education suggests that only the elite will ultimately benefit from
education (Hairston, 2013). Not only was the problem of achievement gaps
apparent but opportunity gaps are also a problem for many. The “Race to the Top”
campaign was designed to provide awards for states who develop achievable
comprehensive education reform but the problem is that many cities in America
have schools being closed and underfunded, and have not benefited enough from this
initiative. The grants are a four-billion-dollar program for improving
education in America (ed.gov., 2015). Consider that under the leadership of President Obama, many
changes have occurred, as we have witnessed mass shootings against American
people, reckless police brutality, and the rise of the Black Lives Matter
Movement. We have endured the legalization of same sex marriage, the expansion
of health care, the killing of Al-Qaeda’s leader; Osama bin Laden, renewed peace
and diplomacy made with Cuba, and celebrated the visit of the Catholic Pope to the white
house and the United States; to name a few.
The laws of the land in education are being replaced. What will be offered to American people to replace the NCLB
Act? Will the laws be for improving education for all? Will inequities be
addressed?
References
Beitchman, J. H.
(1985). Speech and language development and psychiatric risk: Towards a model
of neurodevelopmental immaturity. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 8(4),
721–735.
Brownlie, E. B.,
Beitchman, J. H., Escobar, M., Young, A., Atkinson, L., Johnson, C., Douglas,
L. (2004). Early language impairment and
young adult delinquent and aggressive behavior. Journal of Abnormal Child
Psychology, 32(4), 453–467.
Hairston, T. W.
(2013). Continued inequity through
neoliberalism: The conveyance of white dominance in the educational policy
speeches of President Barack Obama. Interchange. 43, 229-244
Rosta, G. C., McGregor, K. K. (2012). Miranda rights comprehension in young adults
with specific language impairments. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology.
(21)101-108.
Staton, A. Q., Peeples,
J. A. (2000). Educational reform
discourse: President George Bush on America 2000. Communication Education,
49(4), 303-319.
U.S. Department
of Education.(2015). Elementary and Secondary Education Act. http://www.ed.gov/esea
