The Associated Press (AP) reported on Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn’s announcement yesterday that he wants to exempt Washington schools from the standards of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
The 2002 education reform law gives families assigned to schools that fall short the ability to select a better school for their children, receive free transportation and get free outside tutoring.
By mid-August, school officials are required to send parents a letter informing them of their rights under the law. Superintendent Dorn says he wants to stop local officials from sending the letters to parents.
If Superintendent Dorn succeeds, Washington children will be denied the education services to which they are entitled under federal law. The AP reports school districts would be barred from using $40 million in federal funds “to transport students who want to go to a different school and provide outside tutoring for families that request it.”
Superintendent Dorn admitted yesterday that “nearly every school in the state is not making adequate yearly progress,” according to AP. Still, he wants to make sure Washington families have no where else to turn. He is trying to work with federal officials to ensure Washington children do not receive federally-funded tutoring, school transfers or other educational services.
Federal officials will decide over the summer whether Superintendent Dorn can stop the parental letters from being mailed out.
