Smoldering

In the announcement heard 'round the edu-blogosphere today (but on the back page of the Washington Post), Secretary Spellings invited states to apply to be one of 10 which will be granted more flexibility under NCLB. The selected states will be allowed to differentiate consequences for schools that are failing to reach NCLB goals on multiple measures and those that aren't hitting them on just a few. Or, in Secretary Spellings' words, states will be able to distinguish between "on-fire schools and those with a smolder."

Hopefully this change will bring about some good innovation and thinking in the pilot states, and help guide national policy on how to address the needs of the schools in the most trouble, without forgetting that those schools in which one or two groups of students aren't reaching proficiency still need assistance and accountability for improvement.

This article in Monday's Washington Post highlights the continued need for attention on within-school achievement gaps. The article cites the credit many, particularly disabilities rights advocates, give to the law for finally bringing attention to the needs--and perhaps most importantly, the learning potential--of students with disabilities.

Secretary Spellings' added NCLB flexibility should allow a more reasonable, targeted approach to school reform, which is certainly a positive development. But this change should not allow some 'smoldering' schools to get by without any attention to implementing the reforms needed to also put out the smaller fires.