June 11, 2003
Wednesday - 11:20 pm

Washington, D.C. - At a White House ceremony Tuesday, President George W. Bush announced that the U.S. Department of Education has approved Alaska's No Child Left Behind accountability plan. The state outlined specific steps for ensuring yearly progress in reading and math achievement for public school students - the cornerstone of the No Child Left Behind Act - and has now been given the green light to proceed. All 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico were required to submit accountability plans and each one has now been approved by the U.S. Department of Education.

"This is the first step needed to ensure that Alaska is meeting the education reform requirements of No Child Left Behind," Murkowski said. "We worked hard to make sure the accountability plan fits with Alaska's unique education system and that the merits of Alaska's plan were understood at the federal level. Teachers and administrators now know what is expected of them going into next school year," she said leaving a White House Rose Garden ceremony with President Bush after the acceptance of several state accountability plans.

"Alaska's accountability plan reflects the reform efforts already underway through the Alaska Quality Schools Initiative. It is the strong involvement and commitment of the community, educators and parents that will make sure that every child in Alaska's school system meets high academic standards," Murkowski said. "I congratulate Roger Sampson, Alaska Commissioner of Education and Early Development, and his team for leading this bold initiative to address what schools and students must do to succeed."

Murkowski, noted however, that there are still outstanding issues that need to be resolved to meet NCLB, such as how teachers in Alaska, especially at rural schools, go about meeting the new certification standards in the act. "There are still major issues to be resolved, especially, how Alaska will ensure that there's a 'highly qualified' teacher or paraprofessional in every classroom by 2005. We have a commitment from Secretary Paige to work with us to provide the flexibility to make those standards workable in Alaska," said Murkowski.

Congressman Young on Tuesday praised Alaska's education leaders for leading by example in answering President Bush's call for high standards and accountability in education, as called for by the No Child Left Behind law enacted over a year ago.

"This is great news for students, parents and teachers in Alaska. It is proof that our great state is a national leader in education reform, and it is also proof of our shared commitment to ensuring that every child has the chance to learn. As a result of the No Child Left Behind Act, the federal government is now spending more money for elementary and secondary education than at any other time in the history of this country," said Congressman Young.

The Alaska education system has committed to the following:

• Alaska has committed to testing students in reading and math in grades 3-8.
• Alaska has committed to empowering parents through report cards.
• Alaska has committed to allowing parents with children in underachieving schools the opportunity to transfer their child to a better public or charter school. Also when a local education agency is too isolated to practically offer school choice, the LEA may offer supplemental education services as well as tutoring.
• Alaska has committed to working with poorer schools to raise student performance.
• Alaska has committed to ensuring that there is a qualified teacher in every classroom.
• Alaska has committed to ensuring that every child can read by the third grade.
• Alaska has committed to closing the achievement gap between disadvantaged students and their more fortunate peers.

Accountability plan approval keeps Alaska on track to receive increased federal education funding of more than $245 million:

• It provides nearly $14 million to attract and retain highly qualified teachers in Alaska classrooms.
• It provides more than $187 million to help Alaska implement the reforms of No Child Left Behind.
• It provides more than $3.5 million for annual assessments so every mom and dad in Alaska will know how well their children are learning and where they need improvement.
• It also provides more than $2million in Reading First funding to ensure that every child in Alaska learns to read by the third grade.

Under NCLB's strong accountability provisions, Alaska had to describe how it would close the achievement gap and make sure all students by the 2013-2014 school year, including disadvantaged students, achieve academic proficiency. In addition, Alaska produced a standards-based student assessment system to test students in grades 3-10 and inform parents and communities about state and school progress.

Schools that do not make progress must provide supplemental services, such as free tutoring or after-school assistance, take corrective actions and, if still not making adequate yearly progress after five years, must make dramatic changes to the way the school is run, possibly bringing in new staff, or offer students the right to attend other schools.

The problem with the law in Alaska is that there are no other schools close to most rural village schools that students could practically attend. According to information provided by the Office of Senator Lisa Murkowski, due to the Senator's efforts, the Department of Education has accepted language in Alaska's plan that states, "when a local education agency is too isolated to practically offer school choice" the district will only have to offer supplemental services. The plan also offers districts the option of reducing the types of added services they provide, if there is no one qualified to provide additional education services within a "reasonable distance" of the school.

The government also accepted flexibility sought by the Alaska Delegation to allow Alaska to translate benchmark exams, to determine whether students are meeting the accountability standards, into Native and foreign languages. Until the state can translate its tests into Yu'pik, for example, the plan will allow "limited English proficient" students in third grade to be tested in English.

No Child Left Behind is the landmark education reform law designed to change the culture of America's schools by closing the achievement gap, offering more flexibility, giving parents more options and teaching students based on what works.

All state accountability plans must be approved by the U.S. Department of Education by the July 1st deadline in order for states to continue to receive federal education funds. By Tuesday's action Alaska met that deadline.

For more information about the No Child Left Behind Act, go to www.nochildleftbehind.gov.

Source of News Releases:

Office of U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski
Web Site

Office of Congressman Don Young
Web Site

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