CTB's response--We are working closely with our partners in education to develop solutions that fill current needs state by state. Our national team of Evaluation Consultants is involved at a grass-roots level in each state, meeting with educators, helping districts and schools understand the impact of the new law, and offering solutions that meet both the letter and spirit of the law-to improve teaching and learning.

Download: A Primer on the Assessment Provisions of the New ESEA (Acrobat PDF : 309KB)

A summary of the new law's highlights:

	Mandatory annual testing timeline--By the 2005-2006 school year, states and districts will be required to administer annual statewide assessments to all students in reading and mathematics for grades 3-8. By 2007, Science will be included in grades 3-5, 6-9, and 10-12.
	Choice of tests--States may select and design their own assessments. They can use commercially available norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessments or tests of their own making, but the tests must be aligned to state academic standards.
	NAEP comparison--State tests must be verified by a secondary indicator of student progress. This indicator will be the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
	Close the achievement gap--Test results must include individual student scores reported by race, income, and other categories to measure overall trends and gaps between the performance of various subgroups.
	Early reading first--All states are required to participate in a new $1 billion initiative for both pre-K and grades 1-3 reading programs to ensure that all children can read by grade 3.
	Report cards--States and districts will report disaggregated test data in annual, public report cards that contain specific required information about their testing program and results.
	Adequate yearly progress--Schools have 12 years to help all their students reach a state-defined level of proficiency in reading and math. During the 12-year period, schools will have to show hard evidence of adequate yearly progress and raise student achievement levels at least once every 3 years.
	Rewards and sanctions--Districts not making adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years will have to take concrete steps to assist schools.
	Private schools--Private schools and home schools are exempt from annual testing. But any schools, school districts, dioceses, or organizations accepting Title I monies will have to comply with the law.
	Testing in English--Students who have attended school in the U.S. for at least three consecutive years must be tested in reading and language arts in the English language.
	Teacher quality--States must have all teachers highly qualified in subjects they teach within five years. Veteran teachers must have a BA, and must pass a state test or a highly objective, uniform state evaluation of proficiency. New hires must have a BA.and demonstrate knowledge of core subjects in a state test. Professional development must be expanded.
	Technology--States can participate in a $1 billion grant program to integrate technology into schools. Money can be used for hardware, software, access, teacher and student training, curriculum development, online learning, and more efficient use of technology in administration and data management.

Download: A Primer on the Assessment Provisions of the New ESEA (Acrobat PDF : 309KB)