Federal Aid To Local Schools

Introduction: Federal aid to local schools in the form of a supplement to local schools based on their conformity to established guidelines under a federal law called No Child Left Behind. This law was a bi-partisan effort to fix America's educational system which is seen as critical to America's long-term economic success and dominance.

1. The advantage of federal aid to local school districts is that the federal aid represents an important additional source of funding. Federal funding is particularly important when funding provided by the State does not meet the financial needs of the school districts in the State. The disadvantages of accepting federal aid involve the fact that this assistance comes at a price; in return for the aid the federal government provides, the federal government demands a say in the way students are educated and their progress is evaluated.

The No Child Left Behind legislation is a federal law intended to improve education in America, and in particular the educational opportunities of children of poor families and of minorities. The policy requires certain standards of excellence for teachers. It requires that schools accepting federal funds demonstrate improvements in math and reading scores on standardized tests. It provides for special funding for literacy programs as well as for program aimed at students not fluent in English. According to Reg Weaver in NEA Today (2003), NCLB has a catchy but misleading name. The legisla

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ave at least a bachelor's degree, have a certification or license to teach and have specific knowledge of the subjects he or she teaches. Another consequence associated with accepting federal aid involves standardized testing. The challenge of standardized testing is significant when students' primary language is not English. NCLB requires language instruction for students with limited English proficiency but the Bush Administration budget calls for only $681 million for English language acquisition programs. Considering the complexity of teaching students English and then ensuring that they are able to perform at or near their grade level is a daunting challenge. Another consequence of accepting federal funding and accepting NCLB involves giving parents choices, and creating innovative education programs. Choice relates to the fact that under NCLB no child should be forced to stay in an under-performing school. Students who attend Title 1 schools that do not make adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years have the option of transferring to a higher performing public school or a charter school in the district. Another legal consequence that accompanies federal aid for schools is a requirement under NCLB to provide

Category: Government - F