United States Senate
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
February 7, 2013
Written Testimony of
Kati Haycock, President, The Education Trust
Chairman Harkin, Senator Alexander, and Members of the Committee, thank you for providing me with the opportunity to share with you some initial observations on the state-proposed, Department-approved No Child Left Behind (NCLB) waiver plans.
My name is Kati Haycock and I am President of The Education Trust. The Education Trust is a nonprofit advocacy organization that promotes high academic achievement for all students at all levels — pre-kindergarten through college. Our goal is to close the gaps in opportunity and achievement that consign far too many young people — especially low-income students and students of color — to lives on the margins of the American mainstream.
Whether the NCLB waivers represent progress on – or backsliding from – a national commitment to closing gaps and raising achievement is a critical question, and I appreciate this opportunity to provide The Education Trust’s thoughts on that issue. Given time constraints, I will focus just on the accountability provisions.