The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was signed into law on January 8, 2002. It was intended to improve learning experiences for all children, set higher performance standards for schools, and increase the number of highly qualified teachers working in communities with the greatest needs.

Yet ten years after its passage, its promise has remained unfulfilled. States have lowered their academic standards in order to increase the percentage of children they can report as “proficient.” The high stakes of reading and math tests have led to a narrowing of the curriculum, squeezing out time for history, science, art, music, civics and physical education.

In the meantime, the U.S. Department of Education has offered to waive some of the requirements of NCLB for states that submit an alternative system of accountability for approval by the department. Illinois will be submitting an application to the U.S. Department of Education in the second round, with a due date of February 21.

This is an excellent opportunity for our community to understand more about the requirements our schools will need to meet, and the resources that are available to help our students succeed in school. Berwyn CARES invites you to join us in learning about education in Illinois and how upcoming changes may impact our community:

Thursday, February 16
7:00 pm (doors open at 6:30)
Morton West High School
2400 Home Ave.