Patty Murray: “my amendment helps States implement the No Child Left Behind Act by providing $80 million for high quality data systems.…”

“my amendment helps States implement the No Child Left Behind Act by providing $80 million for high quality data systems. I was proud to create this program as part of our reauthorization of the Institute of Education Sciences last year because I saw a real need to help States do this right. Requiring lots of testing only has a benefit to our students if the results of those tests are used to help teachers focus their teaching on weak spots and to help superintendents, principals and policymakers direct resources where they are needed most. Funding these data systems with this amendment will make sure that the testing and attendance data required by No Child Left Behind are put to good use. Frankly, when I come down here to the Senate floor I usually prefer to talk about students, teachers and parents--not data systems. But it is clear to me that funding these data systems will do a lot more than buy computers and pay programmers. When I wrote this program I worked closely with the Harvard Civil Rights Project. They also see the danger to students--mostly poor and minority students--if no one is keeping track of what's happening to them. All the new testing and accountability required in No Child Left Behind creates a real risk that kids who are having trouble passing those tests will drop out or be pushed out of school.”