Save the Children Endorses Flexibility in No Child Left Behind

Rural Schools Get Fair Shot at Excellence

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, President Obama announced his plan to give “states more flexibility to meet high standards” in education through No Child Left Behind (also known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act).

“Our kids only get one shot at a decent education,” President Obama said in his speech at the White House to a room of educators and school administers from across the country. Participating in the event were four rural education leaders whose schools benefit from Save the Children’s U.S. education programs.

The President proposed waivers for states that would help eliminate roadblocks in No Child Left Behind, including reforming punitive measures for struggling schools that have proven ineffective, especially in rural communities. The Administration’s waivers will not let schools off the hook, but promote state-specific standards for evaluation of teacher- and principal-effectiveness and turn-around provisions for low-performing schools.

“For too long, the national conversation on education has left rural schools behind,” said Mark Shriver, Save the Children Senior Vice President of U.S. Programs. “President Obama”s efforts to rekindle our commitment to rural education will help millions of kids across America"

Save the Children applauds the Administration’s decision to grant states waivers as a welcome interim step to help address the outdated provisions of No Child Left Behind. Without congressional action, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act is four years overdue for reauthorization and rural schools need relief from regulations that harm, not help, children’s futures.

We look forward to continuing to work with the US Department of Education, states and our local partners to ensure the needs of students in rural America are met.
About Save the Children’s U.S. Programs

Save the Children works to break the cycle of poverty and improve the lives of children by ensuring they have the resources they need — access to a quality education, healthy foods and opportunities to grow and develop in a nurturing environment. When disasters like hurricanes and wildfires strike, Save the Children is among the first on the ground ensuring the needs of children are being met.

Save the Children’s early childhood education, literacy, physical activity and nutrition, and emergency response programs reached more than 140,000 children and families in the United States last year alone. For more information, visit www.savethechildren.org/usa.