The following text was quoted directly from http://www.myocea.org/ the Web site of the Okaloosa County Education Association .

Bill To Fix No Child Left Behind Introduced in Congress

A bill introduced in the Senate and House this week would provide the common-sense flexibility necessary to achieve the goals of No Child Left Behind. The No Child Left Behind Reform Act, S. 724 and H.R. 1506, would allow the use of multiple measures of student achievement, not just tests, and would establish grants to help states and districts develop and maintain data systems needed to implement models that measure student growth over time.

No Child Left Behind Reform Act (S. 724), introduced by Senator Dodd (D-CT), would allow school ratings to be based on more than standardized test scores, allow use of growth models to track individual student achievement, allow schools to target supplemental services and school choice to students who need them most, and grant additional flexibility for middle school teachers in meeting "highly qualified" requirements. See if your Senator is a cosponsor of S. 724.

Sponsored by Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT), Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Ken Salazar (D-CO) in the Senate and Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), John Larson (D-CT), Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-MI), Rob Simmons (R-CT), Chris Shays (R-CT) and Robert Wexler (D-FL) in the House, the bills target choice and supplemental services to students in groups that fail to meet Adequate Yearly Progress and address logistical problems associated with current law. Additionally, they would increase flexibility in meeting NCLB's highly qualified teacher requirements, particularly for middle school teachers teaching multiple subjects.

• Urge your Senators and Representative to cosponsor S. 724 and H.R. 1506. Go to http://www.nea.org/lac/esea/index.html