No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is four years late for reauthorization. There is little chance we will see a reauthorization before the Presidential election. Consequently we can anticipate the current law which includes “Adequate Yearly Progress” (AYP) and “Schools in Need of Improvement” (SINI) to continue through next year. The Adequate Yearly Progress targets for 2010-2011 are 91% at proficient or better in reading for grades 3-8 and 88% at proficient or better in math. At the high school level the target is at 89% proficient or better in reading and 72% at proficient or better in math. These targets include whole school scores as well as scores for the Special Education and Socio-economic subgroups.

For 2011-2012 the target scores are 95% at proficient or better in reading for grades 3-8 and 94% at proficient or better in math. At the high school level the target is 94% proficient or better in reading and 86% at proficient or better in math.

There are several legislative committees preparing bills that will be debated beginning in January of 2012. 

Last week the Legislature overrode the Governor’s veto of HB 542. Below is the final version of the bill that was significantly changed from the initial proposal.

“1 New Paragraph; State Board of Education; Duties. Amend RSA 186:11 by inserting after paragraph IX-b the following new paragraph:

IX-c. Require school districts to adopt a policy allowing an exception to specific course material based on a parent’s or legal guardian’s determination that the material is objectionable. Such policy shall include a provision requiring the parent or legal guardian to notify the school principal or designee in writing of the specific material to which they object and a provision requiring an alternative agreed upon by the school district and the parent, at the parent’s expense, sufficient to enable the child to meet state requirements for education in the particular subject area. The name of the parent or legal guardian and any specific reasons disclosed to school officials for the objection to the material shall not be public information and shall be excluded from access under RSA 91-A.

 2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2012.

Several 'versions' of a constitutional amendment to address the issue of education funding, and the state's corresponding responsibility, are under consideration. Both the House and Senate proposals provide for the court to define standards for education and have discretion in determining the method, and amount, of state funding, specifically allowing discretion to mitigate local disparities. Their main difference was in the wording and whether or not the state has a "responsibility" in education funding. It is likely that some agreed upon language for a constitutional amendment will be adopted this year and then appear on the November 2012 ballot. Passage of such a provision will likely mean cuts in state aid, with significantly less money budgeted for Adequacy. The impact will be significant local property tax increases to sustain school budgets, or significant cuts to local budgets.