Chapter 7: The Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Test Questions
True or False
1. The most significant change in the federal government’s role in education brought by NCLB
was to require that all public schools bring all their students up to state standards in math and
reading.
2. The primary purpose of NCLB is to ensure that students in every public school achieve
important learning goals while being educated in safe classrooms by highly qualified
teachers.
3. States and local school districts must use research-based instruction to teach reading and
must assess students’ abilities by measuring progress toward proficiency.
4. NCLB requires states to develop statewide standards and implement a statewide assessment
system in reading-language arts and math, but states are not allowed to develop standards and
assessment in other areas (e.g., social studies).
5. NCLB includes students who attend private school or who are home schooled.
6. The purpose of testing and reporting on the test scores by subgroups of students, (called
disaggregating scores) is to ensure that schools will be responsible for improving the
achievement of all of their students.
7. NCLB requires that schools test at least 80% of their students on the statewide assessment
systems.
8. There is a cap on the number of students with disabilities who can take an alternate
assessment.
9. Federal education NCLB funds are to be expended ONLY on programs and activities that are
backed by scientifically based research.
10. Schools must provide notice to parents if a teacher who does not meet the highly qualified
requirements has taught their child’s for four or more consecutive weeks.
Multiple Choice
1. The federal government’s funding of education has never exceeded approximately ______ of
the total amount of money spent on education. Therefore, ______ of all money expended on
education is from states and local school districts.
a. 10%; 90%
b. 25%; 75%
c. 30%; 60%
d. 15%; 85%
2. The role of the federal government has evolved from primarily ________ to ________.
a. Providing financial assistance to requiring highly qualified teachers
b. Allocating funds to designating how monies should be spent
c. Providing financial assistance to holding states accountable for educational
results.
d. Generating federal funds for lending to allocating funds to states to assist them in
meeting NCLB.
3. Approximately _____ of all public school districts and _____ of all public schools in the
United States receive Title I funds.
a. 80%; 30%
b. 60%; 40%
c. 90%; 60%
d. 70%; 40%
4. NCLB requires states to develop academic standards for all students in the areas of (may be
more than one answer)
a. math and reading
b. geography and social studies
c. foreign language
d. science
5. Too often, schools have used programs and practices based on fads, fancy, and personal bias,
which have proven to be ineffective. Where as, __________ have been proven to be
effective.
a. Recommendations from experienced teachers
b. Scientifically-based programs
c. Newly developed programs
d. Both b & c
6.
When a school fails to make AYP for three consecutive years, the school will receive
technical assistance, develop a school improvement plan, offer public school choice, and
must a. reopen as a public charter school
b. offer supplemental educational services
c. restructure the school internally
d. turn the operation of the school over to the state
7. NCLB specifies three basic requirements that public school teachers must meet to be highly
qualified. Which of the following is not one of these requirements?
a. Teachers must hold a provisional or temporary license from the state department
of education.
b. Teachers must hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from a college or
university.
c. Teachers must hold a full state teacher certification or licensure for the area in
which they teach.
d. Teachers must be able to demonstrate subject matter competency in the core
academic subjects in which they teach.
8. NCLB clearly delineates the duties that paraprofessionals may perform. These duties
include: (May be more than one answer)
a. Planning instructional activities
b. Providing one-to-one tutoring
c. Assisting with classroom management
d. Assisting in computer instruction
e. Evaluating the achievement of students
f. Providing instructional support
9. NCLB requires that states indicate how well students are mastering the content. For those
students that have not obtained proficiency, NLCB requires this level be designated as
a. Basic
b. Below Basic
c. Not Proficient
d. Bogey
10.
The highly qualified teacher requirements of NCLB include funding for teacher development
activities. The following professional development activities are acceptable uses of the
funding under NCLB? (May be more than one answer)
a. Instructing teachers in classroom management skills.
b. Instructing teachers in unproven by promising instructional strategies.
c. Instructing teachers in improving student achievement through the use of
technology.
d. Instructing teachers to use data from assessments to increase student learning.
e. Instructing teachers to construct statewide tests.
f. Instructing teachers in how to work effectively with parents.
g. Instructing teachers in how to work use proven instructional strategies that
increase student achievement.
h. Instructing teachers in the use of unproven instructional procedures that sound
good.
Short Answer
1. What is adequate yearly progress (AYP)?
2. What actions do schools have to take if they fail to make AYP for two consecutive years;
three consecutive years; four consecutive years; five consecutive years?
3. Describe the What Works Clearinghouse.
4. What are accommodations, modification, and alternate assessments and who is eligible to use
them?
5. Why did congress include students with disabilities as a separate subgroup to be counted
when measuring AYP?
6. Describe three unique aspects of Reading First.
7. Name the five essential components of effective reading instruction included in Reading
First.
8. What are the three essential components that make a general education teacher highly
qualified according to No Child Left Behind?
9. Describe the four major priorities of President Obama’s blueprint for reauthorizing the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
10. Describe the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). What is it? What is it
used for? What have the results of the NAEP been telling us?
Essay
1. Briefly trace the development of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. From
passage in 1965 to the passage of No Child Left Behind.
2. What is scientifically based instruction? How is it included in ESEA?
3. How does your state define AYP?
4. Explain the following statement: The history of federal involvement characterized by a
movement from assistance to accountability?
Chapter 7: The Elementary and Secondary Education Act
True or False
Multiple Choice