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SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today issued the following statement regarding the release of Beyond NCLB: Fulfilling the Promise to Our Nation's Children [http://www.aspeninstitute.org/atf/cf/%7BDEB6F227-659B-4EC8-8F84-8DF23CA704F5%7D/NCLB_Book.pdf] (Outside Source; 2,511KB; 222pp.), a report by an independent and bipartisan commission reviewing the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB):

"I applaud the commission for undertaking this important and comprehensive evaluation of the No Child Left Behind Act, and I share the commission's goal of modifying NCLB to more effectively address the achievement gap. I have held hearings throughout California to get feedback from parents, educators, and business people on how we can improve NCLB through reauthorization and have heard many ideas that are mirrored in this report.

"I'm pleased with the commission's acknowledgment that accountability, as currently constructed under NCLB, is a ‘blunt instrument' that does not distinguish between schools on the right track and those showing little or no progress. I have long argued that to fairly measure school performance, an accountability system must account for growth, as does California's Academic Performance Index.

"I also believe that effective teachers and principals are the most essential ingredients to improving achievement and closing achievement gaps. Through its implementation of NCLB's Highly Qualified Teacher requirements, coupled with professional development aligned to our rigorous standards, California is working toward the shared goal of excellent teachers in every classroom. While it is important that all teachers are qualified, we know that qualifications ‘on paper' do not guarantee effectiveness in a classroom or in any job. A more robust system of ensuring that all students are provided with effective teachers must be developed. In my efforts over the next year to find best practices for addressing the achievement gap, I will be seeking workable solutions to the complex challenge of ensuring excellent teachers and school leaders for all students.

"I applaud the commission's focus on improving high school and ensuring that all states hold students to high standards that prepare them for success in college and in challenging jobs. California's academic standards have been nationally recognized for their quality and rigor. We want to maintain the integrity of our standards-based education system, and encourage other states to raise the achievement bar for their students as well.

"NCLB has been a powerful tool for focusing public schools on the need to improve achievement by all student groups. Its biggest weakness, in my view, is that it has been overly inflexible and in some cases has not allowed states, schools, or districts to pursue successful practices. I hope that mistake won't be made again when NCLB is reauthorized."