01/25/05

As I visit schools, districts, and communities in the DoDDS-Pacific/DDESS-Guam Area, I sometimes get questions from parents and military commanders regarding DoDEA's responsibilities under the "No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLB). Even more interesting is that when I meet with fellow senior U.S. educational leaders, they are quick to point out that DoDEA does not fall under the mandates of NCLB, particularly in regards to demonstrating adequate yearly progress. Each time, I try to explain not only the uniqueness of our school system and why we do not fall under the Act, but also the fact that our expectations for our performance as a school system are at least as demanding, if not more so, than those of NCLB.

President Bush said, "When it comes to the education of our children, failure is not an option." Thus NCLB seeks to get all Americans to address the condition of their local schools, and to get involved in improving them. While DoDEA does not fall under the legislative requirements of NCLB, we recognize that we have an overwhelming ethical responsibility to our stakeholders to implement the intent of NCLB. In terms of the outcomes or expectations that NCLB articulated, you all need to know that DODDS-Pacific and DODEA are already moving forward and, in fact, leading the way.

There are four major goals of NCLB, but the most demanding one is the mandate to Increase Accountability for Student Performance. Under this requirement, states, districts, and schools that improve achievement will be rewarded and failure will be sanctioned. The promise is that parents will know how well their child is learning, and that schools will be held accountable for their effectiveness with annual state reading and math assessments in grades 3-8.

DoDEA is in the vanguard of school systems using and reporting this type of accountability data. Our vision is set forth in Goal 1, Highest Student Achievement, of the DoDEA Community Strategic Plan (CSP), which states, "All students will meet or exceed challenging standards in academic content so that they are prepared for continuous learning and productive citizenship." To demonstrate accountability, w e currently participate in a number of system-wide norm-referenced and criterion-referenced performance assessments at different grade levels. Most notably, all our students in grades 3-11 are tested on the CTB TERRA NOVA Multiple Assessment, a norm-referenced standardized achievement test. We are also tested on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the "Nation's Report Card," and we continuously monitor progress and inform our public about the achievement of our students.

The DODEA Community Strategic Plan (2001-2006) commits us to additional internal and external assessments in all content areas. By SY 2006 DODEA will be using external (system-wide) criterion referenced assessments in English, reading and language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science. Several are already in place. In addition, DODEA is committed to the development of end of course examinations for core high school subjects, such as algebra and U.S. history.

Other NCLB goals, while worthy, impact DoDDS-Pacific/DDESS-Guam less because of the nature of our funding and the location of our schools. NCLB has a requirement to Focus on What Works, and mandates that Federal dollars will be spent on effective, research based programs and practices. DoDEA is ineligible for Federal grants, and is unable to benefit from the wording in the legislation relative to government funding. However, we are keenly interested in focusing on effective practices. In this regard, DODDS Pacific established a comprehensive educational support office that has been tasked to provide professional development, technical assistance, and leadership training to enhance educational programs provided to students in our schools. Their focus is to identify effective, research-based programs, train educators, and monitor implementation.

Another goal is the requirement to Reduce Bureaucracy and Increase Flexibility . The Director, DODEA has taken steps to decentralize critical management functions with the Area Directors, and has empowered them to tailor the organizational structures within their offices to best meet their theater-wide requirements. Additionally, DODDS Pacific has initiated resource management systems that will provide school and district managers with the information and data they need in order to make efficient and effective decisions, and their ability to effectively manage resources and reduce bureaucracy. Our goal is to implement standards, but not force standardization.

The last NCLB goal is to Empower Parents. Under the Act, parents will have more information about the quality of their child's school, and students in persistently low-performing schools will be given choice. While we may not be able to offer parents much choice due to the location of our schools, where possible, and in keeping with enrollment guidelines, parents may enroll their children in a school other than their neighborhood school. Additionally, we established a partnership with International Distance Education of Alaska (IDEA) to support home schooling options for families that desire an alternate to traditional school based educational programs. DODDS Pacific actively seeks to engage parents, community members, and commanders in the development of policy and practices that impact the educational program. School Advisory Commit tee s are well established, all districts have advisory panels in place, and the Director, DoDDS Pacific meets with an advisory council to discuss issues and seek recommendations on a regular basis.

Thus you can see that while DoDEA cannot benefit from many of the financial incentives of NCLB, as a school system, we have embraced the spirit and intent of this legislation. Working together, all of us - teachers, parents, students, administrators, and community members - want only the best for the fine young people we serve.

Nancy C. Bresell
Director, DoDDS-Pacific/DDESS-Guam