Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:10:44 GMT

More Equity – Competitiveness. Per this debate about high-and low-achieving students, Secretary Spellings was asked about it the other day:

Q. The No Child Left Behind law has been criticized for focusing attention on struggling students at the expense of high achievers, who many say are most likely to keep the nation competitive. How do you answer that concern?

A. I say that I don’t see that assertion borne out in data. It is kind of the rising tide lifts all boats. And the federal role in education for the last 40-plus years has been on behalf of the nation’s neediest kids. As such, No Child Left Behind is written primarily around their needs. I would say those are the kids who are being grossly underserved in our schools. That’s the raging fire in American education. By noreply@blogger.com (Andrew Rotherham). [Eduwonk.com]