Since the birth of the No Child Left Behind Act more than a decade ago, state and local education officials have not kept quiet their disdain for the federal law. So when President Obama announced in September that his administration would offer states freedom from components of the law it is no surprise that states around the country jumped on the chance. Ten states (Colorado, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Minnesota, and Oklahoma) have already been granted waivers from the Obama Administration with the understanding that they must demonstrate how they will prepare children for college and careers by setting new academic targets to improve achievement among all students, reward high-performing schools, and help those that are falling behind.
Ohio is one of 26 states, along with the District of Columbia that applied for a second-round waiver. If approved (and most observers believe it will be), what will the waiver mean for the Buckeye State? What changes will it bring about in the coming months and years? The chart below breaks down some of the biggest changes and outlines what Ohio schools can expect to see under the plan. (Please see chart below)
State Superintendent Stan Heffner hopes that the proposed changes will result in more students being prepared for either college or the workforce when they leave high school and help end the academic disparity among students. According to the most recent achievement data from the Ohio Department of Education the graduation gap between white and black students is 24 percentage points, a gap of 26 percentage points exists between white and black students on the seventh-grade reading test, and the gap is even larger when looking at fifth-grade math where 37 percentage points separate white and black students.
Ohio has already implemented numerous reform efforts such as smarter performance and accountability laws for charter schools, a meaningful teacher evaluation system, and the adoption of the Common Core State Standards. Yet, the state’s increased focus on rigorous standards, accountability, and performance will make for a rough transition, as Heffner warns: “parents won’t see as many As on school report cards.”
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Current law under NCLB |
Proposed changes |
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Student proficiency |
By 2014, 100 percent of students must be proficient in reading and math. |
Schools will be judged by the progress they make in closing the achievement gap in academic performance between students of different races and backgrounds. |
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School letter grades |
Schools in Ohio are currently ranked on a system that labels schools with oft-confusing ratings, ranging from Excellent with Distinction to Academic Emergency. |
Schools will receive a letter grade (A-F) based on four metrics: percent of state indicators met, Performance Index score (a measure of student achievement), proficiency and graduation gaps, and value added. |
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Struggling schools |
Students in struggling schools have the opportunity for additional, outside tutoring. |
Ohio would disband the current tutoring program, and schools could use federal money to extend the school day or school year. |
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Teacher qualifications |
Teachers must be considered Highly Qualified, a status measured largely on whether they are licensed in their subject area. |
As part of a larger teacher evaluation system teachers will now be judged on their effectiveness which includes student performance. |
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Academic Standards |
States must adopt standards in core subjects. |
Ohio adopted the Common Core academic standards in English language arts and math in 2010. |
