Today's Des Moines Register EDITORIAL---Look Beyond No Child Law; Offer World-Class Education

It's reassuring to hear the House education committee chairman acknowledge the No Child Left Behind law is not working well. The law, which says all students must be proficient in reading and math by 2013-14, was well-intended and passed with bipartisan support.

Of course every student who is capable of doing so should be proficient in reading and math. And of course the achievement gap between minority and white students, and poor and affluent students, should be closed.

But schools have been stuck for five years with the law's one-size-fits-all rigidity and many negative consequences.

In a speech at the National Press Club in Washington this week, Rep. George Miller called for changes.

"The American people have a very strong sense that No Child Left Behind is not fair, it is not flexible and it is not funded. And they are not wrong," said the California Democrat, an author of the original law.

Votes to reauthorize the law could come as soon as September. Miller said he wants to maintain accountability, but with a more reasonable approach that places slightly less emphasis on results of standardized reading and math tests for every child.

That would be a welcome adjustment to a law that sets up unrealistic expectations, particularly for students with significant learning disabilities.

"That doesn't mean we can't raise expectations. We can," said Judy Jeffrey, director of the Iowa Department of Education. "But some of our children are not going to be gold-medal swimmers. We can get them to be able to lead healthy, productive lives, but they may do it in different ways and through different career paths.

"It is distressing, however, that national leaders are paying so little attention to moving U.S. students beyond basic skills.

In today's increasingly competitive global economy, American children must learn at the highest level. Otherwise, how will the United States stay ahead of fast-developing countries, such as China and India?

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