An OSBA newsletter for school board members on the No Child Left Behind Act — March 2006

Curriculum issues                                                                               by Rob Delane, director of school board development
Model assessments for foreign language are available
The Ohio Foreign Language Association and the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) have developed sample foreign language model assessments in four languages: French, German, Latin and Spanish. They are designed to serve as useful tools for classroom testing and curricular planning, and provide examples of ongoing assessments and tips for devising your own proficiency-based tests. The assessments contain practical applications of the teaching guidelines and philosophies in the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning; American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages’ Performance Guidelines for K-12 Learners; Ohio’s Model Competency-Based Program; and the Joint Council’s (Board of Regents/State Board of Education) Common Expectations for Ohio’s High School Graduates. By modeling these assessments, you can be sure that your own tests and curricula are aligned with state and national standards for foreign language learning. For more information see: www.ode.state.oh.us/curriculum-assessment/ci/model_assessments/welcome.asp.

Legal issues                                                                                                                             by Hollie F. Reedy, staff attorney
States to receive technical assistance packets on boosting special ed achievement
The U.S Department of Education reports that states will receive technical assistance packets on raising the achievement of students with disabilities. This should prove helpful, since ODE recently announced that all students, including those with disabilities, will be included in the 2005–06 cumulative results on the Ohio Graduation Test.

Taft ‘CORE curriculum’ proposal follows federal high school improvement initiative
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings has been talking about improving high school curriculum for some time, and the initiative to improve the rigor of the American high school curriculum appeared in President George W. Bush’s State of the Union address. Gov. Bob Taft has proposed a “CORE curriculum” that would enhance high school curriculum in math and science, as well as direct students needing remedial education to two-year universities. It also would require high school students to take a college readiness test and allow parents to opt their children out of the program. No word on how this new initiative would work with the already existing shortage of math and science teachers in Ohio, or how it would fit into the state’s accountability plan.

Legislative issues                                                                                     by Fred Pausch, director of legislative services
Bush budget does not provide promised increase for disadvantaged students
President Bush has released his Fiscal Year 2007 budget request to Congress, and the early signs are not good for education. The president pledged just $12.7 billion for Title I grants for disadvantaged students — the same amount as FY 2006. In 2002, the president and Congress agreed to provide local school districts $25 billion for Title I grants in FY 2007 to help them meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act.