About FEA
 

Our Mission


Joint Statement on NCLB


FEA PUBLIC EVENTS


Empowering Schools and Improving Learning


Reports


Short Articles/Materials


Legislative Proposals


Contact Information


Press Materials / Clips
 


About NCLB

Welcome to the FEA Website

The Forum on Educational Accountability (FEA) has been formed to expand on and advance the ideas in the "Joint Organizational Statement on No Child Left Behind" to improve federal education policy. The Joint Statement has been signed by more than 153 national education, civil rights, religious, children's, disability, and civic organizations, representing more than 50 million members.

The "Joint Organizational Statement on No Child Left Behind," released in October 2004, calls for significant changes to improve federal education policy. The signatories to the "Joint Statement" emphasize the need to shift the No Child Left Behind law from applying sanctions for failing to raise test scores to supporting states and localities and holding them accountable as they work to make the systemic changes that improve student learning. 

FEA has sponsored numerous reports and proposed legislation, available on this site. In June 2009, FEA issued "Empowering Schools and Improving Learning" as a second, supplementary joint statement, with more than 80 initial signers. This document fleshes out ideas in the initial statement. It focuses on opportunity to learn, assessment, accountability, and school improvement.


FEA Recommendations for Successful School Turnaround Efforts

See the FEA statement, "A Research- and Experience-Based Turnaround Process," that focuses on flexible local use of elements common to school improvement, and that Congress should include in ESEA/NCLB reauthorization.

See Ratner and Neill, "Common Elements of Successful Turnarounds: Research and Experience," for analysis and summary of research on successfully improving schools.


NEWS RELEASES/MEDIA ADVISORIES


17 March 2010
Press Release:
 “NO CHILD” OVERHAUL MUST INCLUDE PROVISIONS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY THAT ADVANCES LEARNING  
 

29 September 2009
FEA submits comments to U.S. Department of Education's draft requirements for School Improvement Grants. Read the comments here.

27 August 2009

10 June 2009
FEA releases second, supplemental joint statement, "Empowering Schools and Improving Learning," endorsed by 85 national education, civil rights, religious, disability, parent and civic organizations.

6 October 2008
FEA won four significant changes to the federal Higher Education Act. See a short article on these changes
.


20 February 2008
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions seeks to mark up a reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind/Elementary and Secondary Education Act early this spring. See the letter sent to Senators from the FEA urging that there be proper time for review of the legislation between steps in the process to be sure that the principles of the Joint Organizational Statement on NCLB by the FEA are addressed in any changes to the legislation.

See the Press release.

7 January 2008
In a letter delivered to the offices of all U.S. Senators and Representatives on the 6th anniversary of NCLB being signed into law, the Forum on Educational Accountability wrote, “the message is loud and clear . . . the law is not working to substantially improve learning for the students Congress most intended to help.”
See the letter
See the Press Release

19 December 2007
See a letter sent from the FEA to all of the candidates for the 2008 Presidential Election urging them to overhaul NCLB

4 December 2007
See a letter sent from the FEA to Congress today urging them to overhaul NCLB

5 November 2007
FEA letter to Congress contrasts NCLB with FEA, explains FEA as a civil rights education agenda.

3 October 2007
FEA submitted a letter to the members of congress reminding them that any new reauthorization of NCLB must solve the major problems in the law and meet the criteria established in the Joint Organizational Statement on NCLB and by FEA in its legislative recommendations.
See the letter
See the press release

19 September 2007
Most major civil rights organizations support the use of multiple indicators and multiple assessments, according to this FEA letter to Congress. See the press release here.

19 September 2007
Action Alert! Keep Pressure on Congress.

The signers of the Joint Organizational Statement on No Child Left Behind are having a major impact!  Soon the House Education Committee will discuss and vote on a new Elementary and Secondary Education Act/NCLB.

Also see a two page summary of the issue from the FEA.


18 September 2007
FEA recommendations on professional development in response to House Education Committee discussion draft, Sept. 18, 2007.

10 September 2007
Two one page documents compare the House education committee draft to the FEA proposals. A general Title I comparison is here, a comparison of professional development is here.

6 September, 2007
FEA submitted its response to the House Education Committee discussion draft on reauthorization of ESEA.
 

2, August 2007
See the latest Action Alert on keeping up the pressure on Congress to make the needed changes to NCLB

See the new summary of the key points sought by FEA in its legislative recommendations, based on the Joint Statement.

 

14 June 2007
The Expert Panel on Assessment recommends overhaul of NCLB testing and accountability provisions in its report
Assessment and Accountability for Improving Schools and Learning.
See the full report
See the Executive Summary
See the Press Release