The U.S. Department of Education unveiled a new policy last week for the No Child Left Behind Act that would allow modified academic achievement standards for children with persistent academic disabilities.

Specific information about how the standards can be changed to accommodate students’ academic abilities has not been released, but under the new policy the federal department would allow up to 2 percent of the student population to be held to a different standard.

“We have not received official notice from the U.S. department yet, so what we know is just what we’ve seen in some press releases that have come from Washington,” said Pam Pfitzenmaier, administrator for the Iowa Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education.

“Overall, we’re not thinking it’s going to be much change for Iowa schools.”

Pfitzenmaier said the state is already allowed to hold 1 percent of its students to different standards, and she is hoping for a more lenient cap.

“We were hoping for more flexibility than what we’ve seen so far,” Pfitzenmaier said.

“Our state director has stated that she would like to see the concept of a cap removed.”

The cap on how many students can be allowed modified standards ensures states do not abuse the policy by inappropriately labeling students who do not have special needs. Pfitzenmaier said she does not think Iowa school districts would abuse the policy because there is a strict process by which students enter into special education programs.

Pat Carlson, associate professor of curriculum and instruction, said she supports the accountability side of No Child Left Behind but thinks it has suffered from a “one size fits all” mentality.

“In some ways, they’re trying to use a very simple solution for an incredibly complex problem,” she said.

Carlson said the new policy is a step in the right direction but is concerned that modified achievement standards have yet to be defined.

“I don’t know what those are going to be,” she said.

Carlson said she was also uncertain about Iowa’s ability to qualify for the new policy because it stipulates that states must show a commitment to academic progress through No Child Left Behind.

“States will be able to do this if they’ve made schools accountable,” she said.

“The feds have been a little irritated with Iowa for quite some time because we don’t play ball the way everybody else does.”

Every state except Iowa has curriculum standards by which all districts are held accountable. In Iowa, these standards differ from district to district.

“We insist on local control and that we do not need state standards,” Carlson said.

Iowa has been able to get around this issue because the academic progress of all Iowa students is gauged by the same test — the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.

“I’ve been really surprised that Iowa has been able to negotiate and be successful,” Carlson said. “I don’t know what is going to happen [with the new policy].”

Pfitzenmaier said Iowa should not have a problem qualifying for the policy.

“We have an approved plan, which every state has to have,” she said. “I don’t see anything we’ve done previously that is going to negatively impact our ability to have a 2-percent cap.”

Pfitzenmaier said the policy is a step in the right direction, but it is not a final solution.

“We would be very optimistic that they’ll examine No Child Left Behind and increase its flexibility,” she said. “Our hope is that this isn’t the only change they’re looking at.”