House to move NCLB in 2007

February 22, 2007 – Today the Democratic staff of the Education and Labor Committee of the House of Representatives met with representatives of the education and civil rights communities to talk about their plans for the upcoming reauthorization of NCLB. The tentative hearing schedule has three hearings in March – looking at topics such as AYP, special education and NCLB, and ELL and NCLB. While the dates and topics are subject to change the first one may be on March 21st at the full committee level. The staff said that the chairman is interested in several core elements of NCLB being retained – closing the achievement gap and universal proficiency among them. The chairman has been visiting schools around the nation and is well aware that there are statutory and implementation issues that need to be addressed in reauthorization. He is hoping to get a bill through the House by the end of this calendar year.