NAEYC CHILDREN’S CHAMPIONS SPECIAL UPDATE
August 5, 2011
NAEYC’s Call to Action Recommendations Introduced in Two Bills to Amend the Elementary & Secondary Education Act; Additional Legislation to Address Dropout Prevention through High-Quality Early Childhood Education
NAEYC is very pleased that Representative Mazie Hirono (HI), joined by Walter Jones (NC), Don Young (AK), and Jared Polis (CO), introduced today the bipartisan bill, the “Continuum of Learning Act of 2011,” that tracks NAEYC’s recommendations in our Call to Action for the reauthorization of the Elementary & Secondary Education Act (also known as No Child Left Behind). Last week, Senators Brown (OH) and Hagan (NC)introduced the Ready Schools Act of 2011, which is incorporated in the more expansive House bill. To readNAEYC’s Call to Action for the 112th Congress, click here.
Here are highlights of the Hirono/Jones/Young/Polis bill (HR 2794) amending Title I and Title II of ESEA:
- Have states review and revise their K–3 standards as needed to ensure they cover all the areas of development and learning, including social and emotional development, and approaches to learning as recommended by the National Research Council;
- Promote joint professional development between schools and community-based early childhood education programs; allow Title II funds to be used for scholarships tied to compensation rewards for teachers who earn an Associate or Baccalaureate degree in early childhood;
- Provide professional development for elementary school principals in child development and learning, developmentally appropriate teaching practices and collaborations with community early childhood settings;
- Require states to create teaching certificates that reflect the specialized knowledge and skills of teaching young children for those teaching in the early grades and younger;
- Prevent inappropriate high-stakes use of child assessment for grades 2 and below;
- Help elementary schools evaluate their readiness to support all children’s learning success in the early grades; and
- Strengthen collaborations between community-based early childhood programs and schools for more effective and supportive transitions for young children.
Under the Ready Schools Act of 2011 (S. 1439), school districts would help elementary schools undergo a “ready schools” needs review to support children’s success particularly in the early grades by examining conditions such as the use of developmentally appropriate curricula and teaching practices, support for teachers to enhance their knowledge of child development and learning, strong collaborations with families and community early childhood education providers, and professional development for school principals.
NAEYC also was pleased to provide feedback to Senator Murkowski (AK) on her bill which she just introduced,“Early Intervention for Graduation Success Act of 2011” (S. 1495). The bill would allow the current dropout prevention program in the Elementary & Secondary Education Act. The funds could be used for loan forgiveness for teachers earning a degree in early childhood education; support the state’s development of its quality rating and improvement system; aligning learning standards from preschool through college; and expanding access to early childhood education programs. States would be required to provide funds to local partnerships of school districts and early childhood providers with high percentages of children with risk factors associated with failure to graduate from high school and to create or expand a database to identify and ensure services for children at risk of dropping out of school.
Join Our Children's Champions email list to receive regular updates and action alerts on important child and family issues being considered by Congress and the Administration.
<< Go back to NAEYC Updates
