Reauthorization of the federal No Child Left Behind Act will probably not occur this year, in part due to efforts by NYSUT and its national affiliates to slow the process down.
The top two lawmakers on the U.S. Senate Education Committee said they would put off consideration of the new law until next year.
House leaders said it is unlikely they would get a bill to the floor in 2007. The law expired at the end of September; it has an automatic one-year extension provision that prevents programs from terminating.
"The delay is better than hastily passing a reauthorization that contains new and problematic provisions or not correcting onerous parts of the current law," said NYSUT Vice President Maria Neira. "We will continue to work for the changes our members need and oppose any legislation that does not include those changes."
NYSUT activists sent thousands of faxes and made personal visits urging Congress not to rush reauthorization.