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Show SatSunMonTues, June 17-20, 2004 The Park Record B-11 States making progress with law But major work still ahead for meeting No Child Left Behind By BEN FELLER AP Education Writer WASHINGTON (AP) As report cards go, it is a spotty mix of promising and abysmal grades. But an independent review praises prais-es the states for progress given the scope of their assignment putting in place the most sweeping sweep-ing education law in decades. Most states have met or are at least on the way to meeting 75 percent of the major requirements require-ments of the No Child Left Behind law, according to the nonpartisan Education Commission of the States. That level of compliance has more than doubled over the last year. Every state and the District of Columbia, for example, have a policy to ensure that students with disabilities are included when their schools test reading, math and science. Kentucky and four other states - Connecticut, New York, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania -met or were on track to meeting all 40 NCLB requirements. But not a single state is on pace to fulfill another requirement require-ment of the law - having a measurable meas-urable way to ensure a highly qualified teacher will be in every core academic class in 2005-06. Overall, the states are doing well in areas of testing students and measuring yearly progress, but they're struggling with requirements designed to improve the teaching corps. "The hardest work is yet to come," said Kathy Christie, vice president of the ECS Clearinghouse, the commission's research and information arm. "The toughest thing in all of this is going to be getting better at actually raising student achievement." achieve-ment." The 2001 law requires expanded expand-ed standardized testing, more information and choices for parents, par-ents, and public reporting of progress for every demographic group so the scores of struggling students arent masked by school averages. Schools that get federal feder-al poverty aid but don't make enough yearly progress get help but also face mounting sanctions. ECS, a Denver-based group that advises state leaders, graded states on 40 elements of the law, from how well parents get information infor-mation to how well struggling schools get help. The determination of whether a state is on track varies by topic. Some changes under the law were supposed to have happened already, while some have deadlines dead-lines in coming years. Among the Findings: 98 percent of states are on track to define what a "persistently "persist-ently dangerous" school means, a designation that allows students stu-dents in such schools to transfer. But many states are revamping their definitions after criticisms that their standards were far too low. 92 percent are on track to publicly report achievement data for all major groups of students, such as minority, poor, disabled and limited-English students. 65 percent are on track to set clear, substantial expectations The hardest work is yet to come. The toughest thing in all of this is going to be getting better at actually raising student achievement. " - Kathy Christie Education Commission VP for students so that all of them are at grade level in reading and math no later than 2013-14. 53 percent are on track to, identify which schools are in need of improvement before the next school year begins so that parents have time to understand their options. 45 percent are on track to provide the promised "scientifically based" help to schools that have been targeted for improvement or more serious corrective action. 22 percent are on track to make new and current elementary, elemen-tary, middle and secondary teachers of core subjects demonstrate demon-strate that they are competent in their subjects. In perspective, Christie said, the effort by the states is encour aging. Not since the 1970s, when the government passed landmark acts to help disabled children and prevent sexual discrimination, have states goWen so active in response to a federal law, the report says. "State progress is also clear in the way the debate is shifting, said Ray Simon, assis tant secretary of elementary and secondary second-ary education. educa-tion. School leaders are focusing less on forms and funding and more on getting get-ting students up to grade level, he said. The report's recommendations recommenda-tions include redefining how progress is measured so schools can track the success of its students stu-dents over periods of time. ECS also says states should get rid of systems that allow veteran teachers teach-ers to be deemed highly qualified under standards that aren't rigorous. rigor-ous. The law has become part of the election debate. President Bush made the law his first domestic priority and won overwhelming over-whelming support for it but has since seen opposition swell. Democratic presidential contender con-tender John Kerry voted for the law. but the Massachusetts senator sena-tor now says Bush has made a mockery of enforcing it and pay-ins pay-ins for it. ir .:ML (i ii II IMI M ItH'tMllt h 1 . fi.-;. Mr., - for. : buyers end sellers in -Perk Oty& Doer Vzi::y E3655-S574 (tell free) if Susan Catenacci Associate Broker, GRI Prudential Utah Real Estate Typical teacher pay moves up modestly Income nears $46K, 3.37o over last year By BEN FELLER AP Education Writer WASHINGTON (AP) Teachers were paid an average of $45,771 last year, a figure not keeping pace with educators' expenses, says a teachers' union survey. The typical teacher's salary went up 3.3 percent in 2002-03, the last year for which figures are available, according to an annual report by the American Federation of Teachers. The 1.3-million 1.3-million member union gets its financial data from state education educa-tion departments. The pay range varies significantly signifi-cantly by state, accounting for differences in cost of living and the way salary packages are set up. California paid the highest average salary, $55,693, Michigan was second with $54,020 and Connecticut was third at $53,962. South Dakota had the lowest, $32,414. Concerns about competitive pay often are raised by business and government leaders as well as teachers. Salaries are seen as a chief reason that schools struggle to recruit and retain top educators educa-tors in math, science and other fields. For the second straight year, union leaders say, double-digit Given those increases and other out-of-pocket expenses, "compensation packages are nothing short of insulting," said Edward McElroy, the union's secretary-treasurer. The union is helping many districts review health expenses to reduce costs without weakening care. The actual pay increase last year for teachers was closer to 2.5 percent Superintendents get whatever the school boards think leadership is worth. We all wished teachers were paid commensurate with their responsibility respon-sibility and value. " - Bruce Hunter School Administrators lobbyist increases in health insurance expenses eroded teachers' ability to make a living. Teachers, like many workers, are being told to pay more for standard insurance, doctor's visits and prescription drugs. said Jewell Gould, director direc-tor of research for the union. T h e higher figure of 3.3 percent reflects that there were more senior teachers moving mov-ing to the top of the pay scale driving up the average salary while fewer new teachers were hired during a lean economic eco-nomic time, he said. New teachers were paid an average of $29,564 last year, an increase of 3.2 percent. Twenty states and the District of Columbia now pay first-time teachers more than $30,000, a sign of improvement. Gould said. Salaries are usually based on a teachers education and seniority.. seniori-ty.. I he union also took a shot at the salaries paid to superintendents, superintend-ents, the top officials at the school district level. The union says some superintendents make as much as four times the amount that teachers do. Bruce Hunter, lobbyist for the American 'Association of School Administrators, said that comparison com-parison is unfair. Superintendents have much different duties from teachers and have longer work years, he said. Administrators' pay varies significantly, with many rural superintendents getting around $50,000 a year and big city leaders lead-ers not surprisingly getting much more. "Superintendents get whatever whatev-er the school boards think leadership lead-ership is worth." he said, adding: "We all wished teachers were paid commensurate with their responsibility and value." 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