With the Congressional summer recess soon upon us, now is the time to begin planning on meeting with your Senator and/or Representative to let them know what you think should be done with ESEA.  While it seems unlikely that a reauthorization attempt will be made in this session of Congress, that does not mean members of Congress are ignoring the issue.  Congressional staffers continue to meet to try and hammer out a bill and this summer gives us all the opportunity to make our voices heard when members of Congress travel home.

by Forum Conveners George Wood and Pedro Noguera

After the President’s State of the Union speech, speculation has begun about what will happen with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), most recently renamed No Child Left Behind.  Reports in the national press cite sources that the Obama administration is ready to address some of the most grievous problems in the current law.  That will be a good start, but we want to encourage the Administration and Congress to do more than fix a bad law – we want them to invest in public schools in ways that prepare every young person to use his or her mind well.