The Senate candidate says the law "needs to be repaired." Her key rival says it will work if more money is spent on it.
By ANITA KUMAR
Published August 22, 2004
U.S. Senate candidate Betty Castor, a longtime educator, says she would have voted against No Child Left Behind Act, which created a national report card and sanctions for poor-performing schools.
Her chief Democratic rival, U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch, voted for No Child and says it's the right way to ensure all students get the same educational opportunities.
Castor insists the law needs to be drastically changed. Deutsch contends the law will serve its purpose if more money is spent on it.
No Child is one of the few issues separating the top two Democratic candidates for the Senate seat held by retiring Sen. Bob Graham. Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas, the third major candidate, says he probably would have voted for No Child at the time but now sees problems with the law.
They will compete in a winner-take-all primary Aug. 31.
The No Child law came under fire soon after President Bush pushed it through Congress three years ago. It forces students to take standardized tests and requires failing schools to provide transfers, tutors and other high-priced remedies.
Deutsch, who has spent much of the campaign attacking his opponents, criticized Castor for failing to stand behind the law. No Child was endorsed by many Democrats, including Sens. John Kerry and John Edwards.
"I'm disappointed Betty would take the position that she has," Deutsch said. "What would she propose? Do you want the federal government out of the education business?"
David Bositis, who studies the politics of education at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington, said Castor appears to be appealing to teachers who are key voters in Democratic primaries.
"It's smart politics for her to oppose it right now," Bositis said. "She's strengthening her support from educators."
Enacted in 2002, the federal legislation is considered the most sweeping education reform in a generation. It gives the federal government unprecedented influence over schools, traditionally the responsibility of states and local school districts.
Castor, a former teacher and state education commissioner, said No Child demands unrealistic and unnecessary teacher quality requirements. She said it does not mesh with Florida's A-plus plan, a similar grading system with different standards.
Under the state's grading system, nearly half of the schools in Florida earned A's last year. Under the federal system, nearly 80 percent were deemed in need of improvement.
"We can go a long way in fixing it," Castor said. "I think it needs to be repaired before more money is spent."
She said she prefers a more practical approach that includes incentives to encourage high-performing teachers to work in low-performing schools.
The National Education Association teacher's union also is calling for changes to the law. Its Florida affiliate endorsed Castor, who emphasizes her education background in direct mail and ads.
Deutsch said No Child's goal is crucial - ensuring that poor and minority students have the same resources as other students.
"The concept is an absolutely wonderful concept," he said. "It promises to give a helping hand. Some really don't have a fair shake - that's what this legislation is all about."
Deutsch said the federal government needs to step in now and that Gov. Jeb Bush and the state Department of Education have proven they can't run the public schools. He said they are "destroying" Florida's public schools with their heavy emphasis on standardized tests and private school vouchers.
"What the governor is doing on so many levels is wrong," Deutsch said. "I don't have trust in what the state is doing. We are failing our kids."
Penelas, who helped pass a new universal pre-kindergarten requirement in 2002, said money needs to be spent on teaching and early education.
"(No Child) provided the president with a great sound bite," he said. "But the emphasis is being misplaced. The focus is all wrong."
Deutsch said he agrees with Kerry that more money needs to spent on the law.
In the past three years, $70.5-billion went for implementation - less than the $87.6-billion originally expected. This year, Florida received $313-million less than expected.
No Child allows each state to use its own standardized test scores to assess its public schools. Florida uses the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), which was introduced in 1997.
Gov. Bush later made the FCAT a focus of his A-plus plan, which grades schools based on student test scores.
Castor supports some of Bush's high-stakes reforms, such as holding back third-graders who don't pass FCAT reading tests. Deutsch opposes tests that have consequences for students. He thinks schools and school districts should be the focus.
Penelas, who said he remembers when his son was worried about taking the FCAT, said testing should be one of several methods used to judge students.
"What happened to good old fashioned grades in school?" he asked. "It's this one-size-fits-all mentality that I have a problem with."
Times researchers Kitty Bennett and Carolyn Edds contributed to this report. Anita Kumar can be reached at kumar@sptimes.com or 727 893-8472.
