Educational Development 1
Educational Development
PSY605: Developmental Psychology
Professor Cheryl Cabero
December 5, 2015
Educational Development 2
The roles of the federal government continue to be the provision of comprehensive oversight, adequate funding, and programmatic support for the states and their respective school systems. The higher standards, testing protocols, improved accountability systems, special needs initiatives, and literacy programs are examples of mandates that require significant intervention and guidance from the education department at the national level. The preponderance of new school models and new school leaders warrant ample oversight and review to maintain a reasonable level of consistency and competence across schools and states. Even though individual states are responsible for the application of federal guidelines, the education department in Washington remains an important partner for states as they struggle to restructure and manage how they deliver and implement elementary and secondary education in a changing landscape. The evaluation and reporting functions at the federal level are also critical as parents and communities continue to monitor the academic progress of their local schools and school districts (Duhart, 2009).
Some new federal laws have directed schools to focus more on helping all children learn by addressing problems earlier, before the child is so far behind that a referral to special education services is warranted. These laws include the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004. Both laws underscore the importance of providing high quality, scientifically-based instruction and interventions, and hold schools accountable for the progress of all students in terms of meeting grade level standards.
The NCLB Act placed specific demands on states...