NCA/QPA
QPA
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Kansas Quality Performance Accreditation (QPA)
In 2001 the federal government reauthorized the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) more commonly known
as the "No Child Left Behind" Act (NCLB). This law presented an
unprecedented opportunity to align state accountability systems
with federal initiatives, while at the same time challenging the
states to leverage new state education reforms. In Kansas, the NCLB
law requires coordination of the existing state accreditation
system with the new federal requirements, while ensuring that the
integrity and quality of the state educational system is
preserved.
ESEA builds on the accountability and assessment requirements Congress put in place in 1994 and emphasizes the direction Kansas took over the past decade, including setting challenging standards, measuring student progress against these standards, providing the help students need, and holding all schools accountable for results. The new law, however, is more specific and places additional emphasis on states, districts and schools to improve student achievement and close academic gaps among students who are economically disadvantaged, students who are limited English proficient, students with disabilities and students of varying ethnic backgrounds.
The major premises behind this federal law are
fourfold:
1. All children can achieve to high standards.
2. All schools are accountable for all students.
3. A unitary accountability system must apply to all schools.
4. All teachers must be highly qualified.
QPA Framework
Based upon changes in the NCLB and recommendations from the QPA
Task Force and the QPA Advisory Council, several s of a proposed
new QPA framework were developed. Feedback from the field was
sought and many comments and suggestions were incorporated into the
initial proposed regulations. The final changes were submitted to
the attorney general's office on September 24, 2002. A public
hearing on the proposed regulations was held during the State Board
of Education meeting on December 10, 2002. On December 11, 2002,
the State Board of Education approved final changes to the proposed
QPA regulations based on comments received at the public hearing
and comments received the two months prior to the hearing.
NCA
With No Child Left Behind requirements looming, schools are asking what benefit will NCA have for them. There are many!
• The NCA model has a proven track record; 79% of all NCA schools show student achievement gains.
• The NCA model is something with which you are familiar. Changing from an effective model during such a high transitional period due to No Child Left Behind will simply push you back in your capacity to be effective.
• All of the research on Effective Schools, after which NCA is fashioned, indicates that a comprehensive process is required. The NCA process will maintain the quality and integrity of our current system.
• NCA provides additional support and resources, which in these trying times will benefit your schools.
• Kansas NCA is expanding our cadre of certified ambassadors to provide assistance beyond that already available through the state NCA office.
• NCA Visiting Team Chair training will incorporate the requirements for a technical assistance team to ensure consistency throughout your cycle; there will be no additional K.S.D.E. team.
• NCA continues to promote that ALL students achieve, rather than just focusing on the students on the lower end as is stipulated in No Child Left Behind.
• NCA schools have had to meet standards and criteria similar to the Quality criteria of the new system all along. The changes required by state law will simply be aligned with our process.
•The intent of No Child Left Behind has been included in our process for years. You can incorporate the quality aspects of the new legislation using the NCA process. This includes incorporating effective data analysis, addressing flagged students, implementing a comprehensive school improvement plan and adjusting it as needed via data analysis, using research based interventions, and maintaining a consistent technical assistance team (visiting team).
• Quality control is upheld through several layers of review, which includes the visiting team, the state office, and the state committee. Each layer includes feedback to your school.
• Bottom line, the NCA model is effective. The level of implementation, which is completely in your control, is the linchpin for a successful school improvement process. If you engage in the process as a hoop jump to maintain your accreditation, your results will reflect that. If you choose to engage in the process with an authentic focus on what’s best for students, you will see positive results.
