| Show Spellings mt s Promises Fixes to No Child i Left Behind Law Michael Dobbs The Washington Post Margaret Spellings who served as chief domestic policy policy policy poli poli- cy adviser to President Bush during his first term promised Thursday to iron out problems with the No Child Left Behind education law if she is confirmed confirmed confirmed con con- firmed as education secretary Spellings 47 appeared headed for swift and painless Senate confirmation as she answered questions from members of the education committee on the presidents president's education agenda agen agen- term second Democrats Democrat joined da in praising theand the Republicans and nominees nominee's experience while criticizing competence of federal funding fund fund fund- shortage the landmark inn ing 0 for the tion legislation Edward Kennedy D- D Sen committees committee's rank- rank ranking ranking Mass Mass the that his joked ing Democrat of Spellings endorsement the kiss of could represent nt with the right her death wing BushAna And Ana for while ration he chided for fore what the Bush Bush ush admi administration education cup called cup he be tion budget he he You told kneW Spellings you with a smile hear that were going to the reputation Spellings gmo bas flexible than more a of b ing education secretary secretary secre- secre the current Sk Par Paige who Roderi Roderick t phase o of tary first v the oversaw o of the 2002 implementation Left Behind nd laW Left No No Child bring all ll chil- chil children aims to reading read read- which in proficiency prof dren up to math by 2014 ing and and and some me Teachers state legislatures unions an have de depicted depict depict- laW as cumbersome cum cum- ed the da overlY federal mandate and n date bureaucratic In her testimony Thursday Spellings made it clear that she is willing to implement the legislation pragmatically to avoid what she called horror hor horror stories In the first two years of the laws law's implementation tion more than half the schools in some states failed to meet federal requirements putting them on a path to eventual reorganization and closure The standards they must meet are due to become more onerous this year which could result in larger numbers of failing schools unless changes are made Spellings promised to work with Sen Hillary Rodham Clinton D who complained complained complained com com- that highly regarded schools in New York were becoming overcrowded overcrowd d in the because of f a provision n law that allows parents to transfer their children from unsuccessful schools to thriving thriving thriving ing ones As a result Clinton said standards were also declining at the successful schools A former fonner education lobbyist in Texas Spellings helped draft the No Child Left Behind Act and worked behind the scenes at the White WhiteHouse WhiteHouse WhiteHouse House on implementation issues She noted Thursday that she is both an advocate and a consumer of education with two school-age school children Her older daughter Mary 17 attends a Catholic high school and her younger daughter Grace 12 goes to a public middle school in Virginia We must stay true to the See Law continued on page 7 Law continued from front sound principles of leaving no child behind Spellings told the senators But we in inthe inthe inthe the administration must engage with those closest to children to embed these principles principles principles prin prin- in a sensible and workable way Outlining Bushs Bush's second- second term education agenda Spellings said the practice of regular standardized testing that underpins No Child Left Behind would be extended into high school from elementary elementary elementary ele ele- and middle schools She also promised to reshape college aid to help older and disadvantaged students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents and overhaul the Pell Grant program whose payments payments payments pay pay- ments to students have been lagging behind the ris ever ing cost of higher education The committee whose formal name is the Committee on Health Education Labor and Pensions voted unanimously unanimous unanimous- ly to recommend Spellings for Senate confirmation which is expected soon If confirmed Spellings l will preside over an agency workers and a with t. t discretionary budget of billion |
