BILL REQ. #: Z-1129.2
State of Washington | 58th Legislature | 2004 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/28/2004. Referred to Committee on Education.
TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:
We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of
the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully
represent and petition as follows:
WHEREAS, Washington State fully supports, deeply believes, and
actively pursues the goal of No Child Left Behind, all students
achieving at high levels; and
WHEREAS, We welcome the additional support No Child Left Behind has
brought to focus on quality education, the improvements needed to reach
all children, and the urgency nationwide to close achievement gaps; and
WHEREAS, We support a feasible and fair accountability system; and
WHEREAS, Washington State has attained approval and is in full
compliance with the requirements provided in the regulations; and
WHEREAS, There are four major areas in regulations and law, that if
improved, will support successful implementation of No Child Left
Behind; and
WHEREAS, Some students with disabilities have cognitive
disabilities that prevent them from succeeding on the Washington
Assessment of Student Learning, and therefore need more appropriate
measures for accountability; and
WHEREAS, Students with limited English proficiency are in their
program because they cannot speak, read, or write English and therefore
need more appropriate measures for accountability; and
WHEREAS, The Act imposes significant costs on the state, including
statewide professional development and the administration of newly
developed assessments, and on local school districts, and teachers and
paraprofessionals, for tasks including the funding of staff
development, certification upgrades, and coursework; and
WHEREAS, All students, all schools, and all districts do not
improve on a uniform basis across any state, and Washington state's
former continuous growth model provided a more educationally sound
model;
NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the
President and Congress of the United States work together with state
legislatures and the United States Department of Education to improve
language in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and regulations
concerning its implementation, to make improvements to address the
issues raised in this Memorial, and to grant flexibility and changes
that will ensure successful nationwide implementation of the No Child
Left Behind Act.
BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately
transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United
States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of
Washington.