EdAction
Maple River Education Coalition PAC
105 Peavey Rd, St 116 
Chaska, MN  55318 
952-361-4931
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August 22, 2001

One National Federal Test

The word is out that the work this week on the federal education bill (HR1/S1) is on the use of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) as a requirement for all states.

The House version (HR1) allows states to use the NAEP or another nationally norm-referenced test. The Senate version allows states only one option – the NAEP.

The NAEP was initiated in 1969 as "the nation's report card." It was described as a national thermometer to measure the health of our nation's schools by sampling students in certain grade levels. From the beginning, the NAEP collected extensive background data on the students, the teachers, and administrators.

Many feared that the NAEP would become a national test, thereby creating a national curriculum (teachers will always teach to the test). The proponents insisted the test was voluntary. No state was required to use it. Most importantly, there were no consequences attached to the NAEP. It would only be used to inform the public, or so lawmakers were assured.

Today, the Senate version of "No Child Left Behind" (S1) mandates that every state must use the NAEP. S1 also sets up federal rewards and sanctions to states dependent upon their NAEP scores. This is, of course, a broken promise to those who believed their government. It is also a violation of the U.S. Constitution that prohibits the federal government from involving itself in the education of our children.

S1 also sets up a national test and thereby formalizes a national curriculum. We are travelling very fast down the road toward the federal government becoming the schoolboard for every school in America. How is that for local control? How hard will it be to influence parental control of education when our first phone call goes to the federal Department of Education in Washington, DC?

For a look at the NAEP and what the national curriculum looks like, see our article.

Please get on the phone and call the U.S. House and Senate conference committee members

Also call:

The White House and members of the leadership teams.

Tell them:

• Keep the House language regarding the NAEP test.
• Reject the Senate language that mandates that states must use only the NAEP test.

Conference committee members are still home for the recess and therefore they will be appearing at events in their home states. Show up whenever possible to raise this very important issue.

1. Members of the Conference Committee. 

Of particular importance, contact:

• John Boehner (OH) 202-225-6205
• Michael Castle (DE) 202-225-4165
• Lindsey Graham (SC) 202-225-5301
• Van Hilleary (TN) 202-225-6831
• Johnny Isakson (GA) 202-225-4501
• Buck McKeon (CA) 202-225-1956
• Thomas Petri (WI) 202-225-2476
• Marge Roukema (NJ) 202-225-4465

House Conferees: Boehner, Castle, Graham, Hilleary, Isakson, McKeon, Petri, Roukema, Andrews, Kildee, George, Miller, Mink, Owens, Roemer.

Senate Conferees: Allard, Bond, Collins, DeWine, Ensign, Enzi, Frist, Gregg, Hutchinson, Roberts, Sessions, Warner, Bayh, Bingaman, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards, Harkin, Jeffords, Kennedy, Lieberman, Mikulski, Murray, Reed, Wellstone.

2. The White House Comment Line: 202-456-6213  The President has tremendous influence on the final bill. He needs to be hearing from people.

3. Some members of the leadership teams:

• Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert 202-225-2976
• House Majority Leader Dick Armey 202-225-7772
• House Majority Whip Tom DeLay 202-225-5951
• House Republican Conference Chair, JC Watts 202-225-6165
• House Republican Policy Committee Chr Chris Cox 202-225-5611
• Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott 202-224-6253
• Assistant Minority Leader Don Nickles 202-224-5754
• Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121

Next week the Parental Freedom of Information Amendment, Graham-Tiahrt, will be discussed. To see a description of that amendment. More on that later.

EdAction - 105 Peavey Rd, Ste 116, Chaska, MN  55318 
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