WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeaderIllinois seeking exemption from No Child Left Behind

Illinois seeking exemption from No Child Left Behind

By Anthony Brino - Illinois Statehouse News

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois education officials are seeking an exemption from the No Child Left Behind law, which ties federal funding to standardized test performance.


No Child Left Behind has been criticized for offering a poor indication of academic progress, restricting how local schools can spend federal dollars, and punishing poor-performing schools rather than helping them.


The Obama Administration granted eleven states waivers from No Child Left Behind. Twenty-eight more, including Illinois, are applying for waivers, which are due February 21.


Illinois and other states have outgrown No Child Left Behind, says Monique Chishm, from the Illinois State Board of Education, who helped write the plan that's being submitted for the waiver.


"What we're proposing is putting in place a very rigorous, strong, transparent accountability system that focuses on high quality standards at the core."


Last year, the Silvis school district in Rock County was among the 80 percent of districts across the state that failed to meet progress standards under NCLB.


Ray Bergles is the district's superintendent.


"We're not stressing as much as we used to over the test results. We know that what's most important is not the test results, but our students progressing and getting the education they need."


The waiver would start immediately upon approval.