STATEMENT BY THE EDUCATION EQUALITY PROJECT ON PRESIDENT OBAMA’S BLUEPRINT FOR ESEA REAUTHORIZATION

The Co-chairs of the Education Equality Project (EEP), Joel I. Klein, Chancellor, New York City schools; Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., President and CEO of UNCF – United Negro College Fund; and Janet Murguía, President and CEO of the National Council of La Raza, released the following statement regarding President Obama’s blueprint for ESEA reauthorization:

“The Education Equality Project applauds President Obama’s sense of urgency in calling for the swift reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).  Almost 56 years after the landmark Supreme Court decision, Brown v. Board of Education, our nation’s education system continues to provide low-income, African American, Latino, and Native American students with an education that is not equal to that of their higher-income or white peers.”

“EEP and President Obama share a determination to act immediately to eliminate the persistent racial, ethnic, and income achievement gap that continues to deny so many students the opportunities that education promises.  EEP values President Obama’s focus on college completion and his willingness to demarcate a clear goal.  As the President notes, ‘A generation ago, we led all nations in college completion, but today, 10 countries have passed us…. the countries that out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow . . . by 2020 the United States will once again lead the world in college completion.’”

“The President’s blueprint for ESEA reauthorization deserves full attention and action from Congress where this framework can be strengthened with specific accountability measures to encourage all schools to work to eliminate the education achievement gap.   To close the achievement gap, Congress must focus on two fundamental areas – accountability and equity.“

1)    Accountability:

“EEP strongly supports the President’s call for rigorous and fair accountability.  The President’s blueprint strikes a balance by providing states flexibility, but continuing NCLB’s emphasis on closing all achievement gaps.  We must, however, be continually vigilant that our most needy students are getting the attention and support they need.

“The blueprint’s clear focus on Challenge States, Schools, and Districts is to be commended.  We look forward to working with the Administration and Congress to get the details right for each Challenge category to ensure students in all low-performing states, schools, and districts are best served.”

2)    Equity

“We welcome the blueprint’s focus on the continued examination of and mandatory public reporting of subgroup achievement levels, as well as the focus on student growth. Without these provisions we cannot track the state of the achievement gap nor our efforts to close it.  We anticipate working with the Administration and Congress to find the appropriate balance between sanctions and interventions.” 

“We strongly support the President’s call for continuation of Race to the Top, equitable funding between high- and low-poverty schools, a close focus on teacher effectiveness, public school choice, and efforts to promote college readiness and success.” 

###

ABOUT EDUCATION EQUALITY PROJECT

The Education Equality Project is leading a civil rights movement to eliminate the racial and ethnic achievement gap in public education by working to create an effective school for every child. Web:www.edequality.org, Twitter: @EdEquality, info@educationequalityproject.org

 For more information:

Melissa Ratcliff

VA/R for the Education Equality Project

melissa@varpartners.net

310.429.2778