Remember Title I? It’s been more than 45 years since Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was established as U.S. law.
In its day it was viewed as forward-thinking education and a big-spend on improving educational opportunities for our children.
For your benefit (and mine) here is the Cliff Notes version of this directive.
The purpose of this title is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education through:
- high-quality academic assessments, accountability systems, teacher preparation/training, curriculum, and instructional materials;
- meeting the educational needs of low-achieving children including limited English proficient children, migratory children, children with disabilities; First Nation children, neglected or delinquent children, and young children in need of reading assistance;
- closing the achievement gap between high- and low-performing children;
- holding schools, local educational agencies, and States accountable for improving the academic achievement of all students;
- providing greater decision-making authority and flexibility;
- providing children and enriched and accelerated educational program;
- promoting school-wide reform;
- significantly elevating the quality of instruction;
- coordinating all services under the title; and
- affording parents substantial and meaningful opportunities to participate in their child’s education.
So exactly where are we on the pathway to furthering this initiative? Does No Child Left Behind or President Barak Obama’s education initiatives dilute or improve the original intent? What I'm asking is: is Title I still viable, practical, and achievable?