Education officials from nine California school districts are lobbying the US Department of Education this week in Washington, DC for waivers to the “No Child Left Behind” Act.
The superintendents represent a good chunk of the state’s population. They’re making the case that the “No Child Left Behind Act’s” focus on boosting test scores leaves instructors too little time to teach skills that students will need later in life. Troy Flint is with the Oakland Unified School District.
“To support our kids and make sure they’re well rounded and prepared to be good citizens and critical thinkers and not just test takers, you need to have a more holistic method of education,” says Oakland Unified School District spokesman Troy Flint.
The schools officials also say No Child Left Behind doesn’t provide districts enough money to meet the law’s standards.
The Department of Education has granted waivers to 37 other states that submitted education reform plans. The California superintendents have each submitted plans for their own districts. They hope to secure the waivers before the new school year, as they race to finalize teacher and tutor schedules.