WHEREAS, The MFT&SRP has been a state leader in the standards and accountability movement and supports the underlying goals of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB/ESEA) to raise educational standards for all children and, in particular, to meet the needs of disadvantaged children; and

WHEREAS, The MFT&SRP supports the use of appropriate tests to measure whether those standards are being met; the disaggregating of data; a well-qualified teacher in every classroom; well-trained paraprofessionals; extra support for low-performing students; and incentives for turning around schools in need of improvement; and

WHEREAS, The NCLB purports to promote these goals; and

WHEREAS, Notwithstanding its stated goals, some key provisions of the NCLB/ESEA are seriously flawed and need to be corrected, including:

WHEREAS, The Bush Administration has consistently failed to live up to its commitment to adequately fund NCLB/ESEA; and

WHEREAS, Years of inept and opportunistic implementation by President Bush's Department of Education have undermined the very goals it was charged with supporting and has instead provided opponents of public schools a blunt instrument of attack; and

WHEREAS, The MFT&SRP is committed to assuring that the NCLB/ESEA is amended to correct its flaws and be appropriately funded to accomplish its important goals; and

WHEREAS, The MFT&SRP believes that while amending certain sections of NCLB/ESEA is desirable, what is needed is a law that provides for standards and accountability in a manner that truly benefits public education; NOW THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED: That the MFT&SRP continues to work with the Michigan Department of Education to ensure that NCLB/ESEA is implemented as fairly as possible given the confines of the law; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED: That the MFT&SRP lobbies Michigan's congressional delegation to address the defects in this law that harm children and the schools they attend, and to fully fund a corrected NCLB/ESEA; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED: That the MFT&SRP work with the AFT to develop a national accountability and standards bill that truly lifts up public school students, respects teachers and support staff, and provides the resources necessary for its meaningful implementation; AND BE IT FINALLY

RESOLVED: That the MFT&SRP works with the AFT to develop a national grassroots campaign to advance this accountability and standards bill, building a strong and broad coalition to work for its passage into law in 2007 when the Elementary Secondary Education Act is to be reauthorized.