The Honorable George MillerThe Honorable Howard P. “Buck” McKeon

2181 Rayburn House Office Building2101 Rayburn Office Building

Washington, DC 20515Washington, DC 20515

March 21, 2008

Dear Chairman Miller and Ranking Member McKeon,

On behalf of the nation’s middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and other school leaders, the undersigned organizations urge you to immediately reauthorize and improve the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, currently known as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), by including provisions that will positively impact middle level and high schools and their students.

The era of reform ushered in by NCLB requires principalsto excel as instructional leaders working collaboratively with a variety of constituent groups.School leaders must improve teaching and learning for all students or face corrective action if their schools fail to meet mandated accountability measures. Closing the achievement gap and improving student achievement are certainly among the highest educational priorities of secondary school principals, and our members accept accountability for results. We have seen gains in student achievement that can be directly related to the law and to the emerging conversations about school reform.

Yet, principals and other school leaders,while embracing the intention of NCLB, have expressed concerns about the consistency, flexibility, and fairness with which the law has been implemented as well as the law’s provisions to help schools build or enhance capacity among teachers and leaders to meet student achievement mandates. And because the law focused primarily on the elementary grades, we did not see the same level of commitment to address the needs of America’s middle level and high schools.

Action this year by Congress to reauthorize NCLB would not represent rubber-stamping current law. Rather, it offers Congress the opportunity to examine the law; maintain those aspects of the law that are working to improve education for all students; and most importantly, change what is not working and recognize that there is immediate need for a federal investment in middle level and high schools.

Congress has an opportunity right now to provide middle level and high schools with the resources they need to ensure that every student graduates with the skills necessary for success in postsecondary education and the workforce. Positive proposals to amend current law include “growth models” that would give schools credit for student learning gains; meaningful graduation rate accountability; alignment of standards to the skills and knowledge necessary for

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college and work readiness; and higher-quality assessments for all students, including English language learners and students with disabilities.

Our organizations also encourage Congress to incorporate the following proposals to improve our nation’s secondary schools into the reauthorization bill:

  • Striving Readers Act (H.R. 2289/S. 958) – Authorizes $200 million to support the creation of statewide literacy initiatives for students in grades 4–12, provide targeted assistance for students who read two grades or more below grade level, and improve professional development in adolescent literacy for school leaders and teachers
  • Success in the Middle Act (H.R. 3406/S. 2227) – Authorizes $1 billion to support states in creating middle school improvement plans, implement early warning identification systems for students most at risk of dropping out, and invest in proven interventions to help all middle level students succeed
  • Graduation Promise Act (H.R. 2928/S. 1185) – Authorizes $2.5 billion to support the development of statewide systems of differentiated high school improvement, helps approximately 2,000 “dropout factories” nationwide implement evidence-based interventions, and focuses funding on building the capacity of secondary schools to reduce drop-out rates and increase student achievement.

The stakes are high for our nation and our students. Waiting for the 111th Congress and a new president to act on NCLB reauthorization will leave our schools, educators, and students with the unsatisfactory and unacceptable status quo. We, therefore, strongly urge you to enact our recommendations to improve education for all students and to reauthorize the law this year.

Sincerely,

National Association of Secondary School Principals

Supporting State Organizations

Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals

Arizona School Administrators

Affiliated Georgia School Leaders

School Administrators of Iowa

Louisiana Association of Principals

Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals

Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators’ Association

Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals

Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals

Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals

Montana Association of Secondary School Principals

Nevada Association of School Administrators

New Hampshire Association of School Principals

New Mexico Association of Secondary School Principals

School Administrators Association of New York

Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators

Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals

Utah Association of Secondary School Principals

Vermont Principals’ Association

Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals

West Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals

Wyoming Association of Secondary School Principals

Cc: Members of the Education and Labor Committee

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