Whither the No Child Left Behind Act?

It’s been challenging to follow the machinations about this law in Congress.

Yesterday the House voted on party lines to amend the NCLB and take its implementation back to the states–instead of the federal government.

This write up in Ed Week  is a good one–it lays out the pros and cons and tells us who is for the House version and who against… as well as what the Senate may be up to.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2013/07/house_debates_no_child_left_re.html

What to make of this? First observation–groups that represent school districts favor the House version of more local control. Others don’t. Sad, isn’t it–to have such a dispute–especially as, in the end, it all comes down to those schools.

Second observation–many groups decry the House version as saying it lowers expectations and doesn’t continue the push for high standards for all students. But I have a hard time understanding this argument since 39 states and DC have received waivers from those very expectations. (Remember how all students were going to be ‘proficient’ by 2014–that is next year! ) What am I missing here?