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

Legislative issues                                                                                               by Fred Pausch, director of legislative services
Cosponsors are still needed for NCLB improvements act
Local school board members are strongly encouraged to continue working to get their federal representatives to become cosponsors of House Resolution 5709, the No Child Left Behind Improvements Act of 2006, introduced by Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska). Please contact your representative today and ask him or her to become a cosponsor of this very important piece of legislation supported by the National School Boards Association. NSBA has developed some useful talking points and posted them at http://files.nsba.org/advocacy/hr5709.doc. For more information and resources please visit: www.nsba.org/nclbcampaign.

Curriculum issues                                                                                by Rob Delane, director of school board development
Identifying Ohio Schools of Promise
To help close achievement gaps, the Ohio Department of Education developed a program for identifying, recognizing and highlighting schools that are making substantial progress in ensuring high achievement for all students. This program includes a variety of efforts to make schools and the public aware of Ohio schools that are narrowing achievement gaps. The program annually identifies schools that meet or exceed specific student performance and diversity criteria, and awards banners that identify them as a School of Promise. To learn more, go to www.ode.state.oh.us/achievement_gaps/Schools_of_Promise.