By Delia Pompa, Senior Vice President, Programs
(This was originally posted to the National Journal Experts Blog on Education)
The recent data collected by the Office for Civil Rights, although appalling, are actually not very surprising at all. They represent the challenges and frustrations I frequently hear from our network of education providers across the country. Although it’s both sad and frustrating to be reminded that we have made such little progress over so much time, this country must remain steadfast in its commitment to provide every child with access to a quality education. Education equity was at the forefront of our national agenda when the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was enacted as part of President Johnson’s War on Poverty, and now, as Congress debates the federal role in education, this issue has become salient again.
What happened between then and now? These data make it clear that states have not been successful in devising strategies to help children of color and English language learners meet very basic benchmarks in reading and math. Some would say that states have had to abide by overly stringent guidelines that make teachers dumb down lessons in order to show progress on standardized tests, therefore restricting what can be taught to students. Our view, however, is that states and schools have not tried hard enough to deliver this very basic promise to a growing share of American children.
Now, with congressional Republicans considering measures to allow states funding flexibility across the various titles in ESEA and the Obama administration considering granting waivers to states, we’re losing sight of this fundamental promise. Federal policymakers in particular should view these data as a red flag that we need to do more to hold states accountable for their lack of progress and devise incentives for states to do better. Those strategies should maintain a strong focus on subgroup accountability while providing supports and resources to help schools design programs that work. It is simply unacceptable that after so many years we continue to get this wrong. Education has always been a central issue in the battle for civil rights and our hope is that data will compel federal policymakers to make the right decisions in moving forward a comprehensive education reform agenda. There is simply too much at stake.