Teacher Beat

Regarding a new business item that just passed, I want to know if Diane Brown, the delegate who sponsored this resolution on the No Child Left Behind Act, read the law.

Her item directs state affiliates "to restore teacher control of the curriculum and its influence over Title I funds." In her introduction, Brown said that Title I historically supported parental involvement and professional development, compared with the NCLB law, which she said focuses on testing students and punishing schools.

I get the objection to the annual testing and so forth. A number of delegates have spoken eloquently on that topic. But Brown seems to have missed the fact that NCLB has a whole section devoted to parental involvement.

The law also requires a school deemed "needing improvement" set aside 10 percent of its funds for professional development. And Reading First, Title I-B of the law, put thousands upon thousands of dollars into reading professional development, which many teachers embraced.