A public forum will gather at the Krannert Art Museum, 500 E. Peabody Dr., to discuss the “No Child Left Behind” legislation and its current implementation in the nation, in Illinois and in local districts on Jan. 28 at 9 a.m.

President Bush signed the bill into law in the beginning of 2002. The legislation emphasizes annual assessment testing of students in grades 3-8. Tests in high school were also implemented to show student progress. The Illinois State Assessment Test for grade schools and junior high schools, Prarie State Achievement Tests, and ACT’s for high schools, focus on tracking the progress of reading and math. In 2006-2007, assessments will also begin to track progress in science. The law emphasizes improving teacher quality and gives the opportunity to parents to transfer their children out of schools that fail to meet state standards.

In Illinois, the progress of “No Child Left Behind” has been mixed, said Randy Dunn, state superintendent of education and a presenter at the forum.

“In one sense, we have now a much better picture about (how) various groups of students are doing, because this law has really forced us to peel back and look back at performance for various groups of students,” Dunn said.

Dunn said while assessment tests show progress in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades, progress tends to level off by junior and high school.

Nevertheless, Mary Mueller, administrator from the Champaign Unit 4 school district and a panelist on the town hall discussion that will follow the event, said the school district is making steady progress, while some other districts in the state are not seeing the same success implementing the legislation.

“We have really tried to align our curriculum with the Illinois learning standards and we also have tried to provide as much professional development as possible for our teachers,” she said.

The forum is second in a series of four this academic year sponsored by the College of Education and Phi Delta Kappa, a professional association for educators at the University. The dean of the College of Education appointed a planning committee to select the four forum topics.

“We thought that we would choose topics that would have significant meaning for the local community,” said William Trent, professor of educational policy studies in the College of Education and program chairperson for Phi Delta Kappa. The committee selected topics with national prominence and national concern to facilitate understanding in the community and “to take advantage of local expertise in the College of Education and on campus and (local expertise),” Trent said.

Preston Williams, deputy superintendent for the Urbana School District and the organizer of the event, said the aim of the forum is to educate individuals about the legislation and its effects on local schools.

“We’re not blaming, we’re not defending,” Williams said. “We’re going to look at it critically. And ask questions and get a feel. I think the main thing we (will) talk about (is) making it work.”

The forum co-planners include Parkland College and the Urbana and Champaign school districts. Presenters will include James Anderson and Lizanne DeStefano, University professors, Becky McCabe, director of assessment for the Illinois State Board of Education, and John Woodward, Urbana High School principal.