NCA CASI Position Paper on Public Law 107-110:
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001

November 2002
Updated January 2004

The North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) has reviewed the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in detail. NCA CASI shares many of the values and positions outlined in and implied by the legislation. We view NCLB as an important first step in holding schools accountable for raising student achievement. There are, however, areas where NCA CASI has several concerns with the legislation. This paper details our position on the legislation.

Shared Values: High Standards, Closing the Achievement Gap, Focusing on Student Performance

NCA CASI strongly supports NCLB's stated purpose "to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to ... reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and state academic assessments." Since its inception, NCA CASI has challenged schools to provide quality learning opportunities for all students.

Beginning in the 1980s, NCA CASI engaged interested schools in a school improvement model focused on raising student achievement. Over the past ten years, we have documented the results of this model as well as refined it into what we call Performance Accreditation. All NCA CASI schools are now engaged in Performance Accreditation. Over the next three to four years, schools will reach the documentation stage of this continuous improvement framework. As they reach this stage, they will be held accountable for demonstrating statistically verifiable growth.

In addition to supporting the focus on raising student achievement, we support the legislation's focus on:

• Rigorous curriculum;
• High academic standards;
• Accountability based on student performance;
• Narrowing the achievement gap among subgroups of students;
• Highly qualified teachers;
• Greater involvement of parents in education decisions; and
• Wider implementation of research-based practices to improve education performance.

NCA CASI's accreditation criteria address each of these areas. To earn accreditation, schools must demonstrate that they meet or exceed our requirements in these areas as well as areas related to leadership and governance, student support services, information systems, and resource allocation.

In addition, the areas highlighted by the legislation are core to NCA CASI's values and have been throughout our hundred year history. We value high standards, external review, continuous improvement, accountability, equity, data-driven decision making, and research-based change.

Areas of Concern

Despite sharing the values of NCLB, we have several concerns with the legislation.

We believe success should be determined by multiple and varied assessments. NCLB measures student proficiency largely by how students perform on the statewide assessments. In many states, these assessments are limited to a single assessment in each subject area that is administered once a year. While this may be a useful barometer of progress at a single point of time, it should not be the sole basis of judgment about a school's performance. NCA CASI believes that schools must use multiple assessments to accurately and fairly assess student performance. As a result, NCA CASI requires schools to use at least three valid assessments, including both locally developed and standardized measures, to document student success. We believe that school success or failure should be determined on a holistic analysis of the entire set of assessments.

We believe growth should be verified by trend data. NCLB requires schools to demonstrate annual growth for all student subgroups. After two consecutive years of no growth for any subgroup, a school is identified in need of improvement. NCA CASI knows from experiential wisdom and research that adequate time is needed for teachers to become effective in implementing new teaching methods and curriculum. As a result, we strongly recommend a minimum of three years of implementation and annual documentation before conclusions are drawn as to the effectiveness of the changes. We have found that three-year trend data are less sensitive to unusual circumstances and therefore more likely to provide an accurate picture of performance.

We believe in continuous improvement for all schools. NCLB only requires underperforming schools to devise improvement plans and obtain external assistance/review. NCA CASI believes that all schools, not just a particular subset, should engage in school improvement and external review. We believe that growth is both desirable and possible for the lowest performing and highest performing schools as well as all those in between. As a result, we require all accredited schools to implement continuous improvement plans and document growth in the areas targeted for improvement. In addition, all accredited schools must host a team of outside reviewers at least twice during a five year improvement cycle.

We believe in growth for all students. NCLB requires all students to reach proficiency in reading, math, and science within a specified time period. The law does not address students after they reach proficiency. NCA CASI challenges schools to demonstrate continuous growth in student achievement for all students -- from the lowest to the highest performing students. As a result, once students reach the proficient level, NCA CASI schools must demonstrate continued growth in student achievement.

NCA CASI's Response to Schools Identified "In Need of Improvement"

Under NCLB, schools that receive Title I funds and fail to demonstrate adequate yearly progress for two years in a row must be identified "in need of improvement." As detailed above, NCA CASI disagrees with the NCLB formula for identifying underperforming schools; however, we are prepared to assist NCA CASI schools in the following ways:

As always, NCA CASI will annually review all accredited schools to ensure continued compliance with our standard and criteria. As long as schools meet our standard and criteria and are documenting growth in their student performance goals, they will remain accredited.

Conclusion

While NCA CASI supports the intent and many of the requirements of NCLB, we disagree with the law's limited methods for measuring growth and consequent labeling of schools. Despite these limitations, we are committed to the ultimate goal of NCLB to ensure success for all students. Our Performance Accreditation framework is designed to help schools achieve this goal. We offer resources, materials, tools, and workshops aimed at helping schools engage in continuous school improvement. In addition, we are developing a district-wide accreditation model that accelerates the progress of all schools in a system toward raising student achievement. We encourage districts and schools to look to us as a resource and partner committed to helping them leave no child behind.

Contact Information

For more information, please contact Deb Dusseau, NCA CASI Deputy Director, at 800-525-9517 or your NCA CASI State Office at 800-525-9517 option 2.

NCA HOME : DOCUMENTS : NCLB POSITION