Eugene school chief opposes law rollback.

Byline: Anne Williams The Register-Guard

Eugene School Superintendent George Russell this week added his signature to an open letter to Congress from more than 100 other African American and Latino superintendents opposing rollbacks to the controversial accountability provisions of President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act.

The letter, composed and sent to minority education leaders by the Washington, D.C.-based Education Trust, concedes that the law "isn't perfect," and encourages Congress and the White House to provide more money to help schools achieve its goals.

But the letter calls an effort by some critics to thwart the law "a thinly veiled attempt to turn back the clock to a time when schools - particularly in suburban communities - could coast comfortably on the performance of a handful of high-performing students and hide serious problems behind misleading averages."

Russell, who is the state's only African-American school superintendent, said signing on was an easy decision, despite the fact that he believes some elements of the law need change.

"I support the principles underlying the No Child Left Behind Act," he said, noting that closing the academic achievement gap is a top priority for both him and the school board. "There really aren't any excuses for not making sure every kid is successful."

The sweeping 2-year-old law seeks to boost achievement among all students. It imposed new requirements on schools to track and report progress on state tests among various sub-groups, including disabled and low-income students as well as those in various minority groups.

Schools receiving federal Title I funds - earmarked for schools with high numbers of disadvantaged students - face escalating consequences if any one of those groups continues to fail to show "adequate yearly progress" on test scores and participation rates.

Those schools may be required to pay for extra tutoring or transportation to a different school if a parent so chooses, for example.

Oregon School Superintendent Susan Castillo, the state's first Latina elected official, has also voiced unequivocal support for the goals of the law, but she opted against signing on to the letter when it came across her desk earlier this week, said Gene Evans, spokesman for the Oregon Department of Education.

While funding for the law falls short, there's more wrong with it than that, he said.

"We looked at that and said, 'Nope. we're not going to sign that,'" he said. "We don't think fixing the law is turning back the clock."

Started in 1990, The Education Trust is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to closing the achievement gap that separates low-income and minority students from other youth.

The group has been outspoken in its support for No Child Left Behind.

Castillo will visit Washington, D.C., next month to lobby congressional leaders and education groups for changes to the law.

After talking with hundreds of educators around the state, she's convinced several provisions need change as soon as possible, Evans said. Those include the "labeling" of schools as needing improvement, even if they measure up in all but one of dozens of categories used to assess "adequate yearly progress," or AYP.

She also takes issue with some of the law's requirements for and definitions of "highly qualified" teachers and instructional aides, as well as the inclusion of test scores and participation by students with severe disabilities in the AYP criteria.

Russell said he agrees with every one of Castillo's points.

"I clearly don't like labeling schools as `failing,' ' he said, noting that the law calls it "needing improvement." "It seems more of a punitive approach is being taken by the administration as opposed to a helpful approach that says how can we come in and help you, what kind of resources can we bring to bear."

Russell said he doesn't view his signing the letter as a blanket endorsement of the No Child Left Behind Act.

"I think we see eye to eye," he said, referring to Castillo. "I think there is a need to push back in a number of areas. But I think we both agree that the principles underlying the act are important to both of us."