Thursday, September 22, 2011

SUPERINTENDENT LUNA TO ATTEND WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCEMENT TOMORROW

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna will join President Obama and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan at the White House tomorrow as they unveil a new process to give states more flexibility under the federal No Child Left Behind law.

Idaho has taken a lead role in moving toward the next generation of accountability systems. In June, Superintendent Luna sent a letter to Secretary Duncan informing him that Idaho would begin moving toward a new system of increased accountability since Congress has not reauthorized No Child Left Behind, giving states more flexibility and a new accountability system that measures growth.

Under the current law, states can only measure school success based on proficiency – or how many students pass the test. No Child Left Behind was supposed to be reauthorized four years ago so states could also measure schools based on academic growth, or how much progress a student makes in a given year. However, Congress has not taken action on reauthorization.

On Friday, the President is expected to announce a new way for states like Idaho to apply for waivers that would allow them to move toward new systems of increased accountability and still comply with the federal No Child Left Behind law. Superintendent Luna plans to work with the Idaho State Board of Education to apply for such a waiver and improve the way the state currently measures academic success in Idaho.

Superintendent Luna will be at the White House at 10 a.m. ET (8 a.m. MT) on Friday, September 23, 2011 as the President and Secretary announce the new No Child Left Behind waiver system for states.

Superintendent Luna will be available to interview with Idaho reporters via phone on Friday, September 23 after the news conference. Please contact Melissa McGrath at mrmcgrath@sde.idaho.gov or (208) 332-6818 to arrange.

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