The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) has taken a strong stance against any form of national academic standards. The NCSL declared that it would not accept any attempt to unify school curricula across states until the perceived flaws in the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) are fixed. This policy was approved without much debate during the NCSL’s business meeting at its annual conference, which was attended by nearly 9,000 people.
The policy emphasizes the need for rigorous state standards that align with real-world demands. It argues that individual states should refine their own standards instead of relying on federal action, as this goes against the role of states in education and the historical responsibility of states and local school districts to fund education with decreased federal support.
The NCSL’s opposition to national standards stems largely from its dislike of the NCLB act, which is currently up for reauthorization in Congress. Some members of the NCSL believe it is premature to consider national standards at this time, given the ongoing implementation of the NCLB.
Earlier in the week, the policy faced opposition within the NCSL education committee, but no one spoke against it during the larger business meeting. The policy had been under debate within the committee for nearly a year before its enactment.
Not all states participating in the committee meeting agreed with the policy’s strong stance against national standards. Arkansas, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Texas were among the states that expressed reservations. Some legislators’ support or rejection of the policy was influenced by factors beyond national standards and reflected the wider debate over the NCLB accountability law.
Some legislators believed it was crucial for the NCSL to have a voice in the ongoing reauthorization of the NCLB in Congress. They argued that moving forward and expressing their views was necessary to ensure their interests were represented.
Overall, the NCSL’s policy against national academic standards highlights the need for rigorous state standards and asserts that individual states should be responsible for refining their own standards instead of relying on federal action. The policy reflects the NCSL’s concerns about the flaws in the NCLB act and the role of states in education.
