EDITORIAL
No Child enforcement becoming nuanced

Faced with growing resentment over what turned out to unrealistic demands of the federal No Child Left Behind law, Washington has wisely begun to ease up on some of the more onerous requirements.

This is sensible, since a rigid approach threatened to send districts out of the program altogether, opting for no federal help rather than struggling to meet unrealistic requirements.

This idea has even been heard in Hawai'i, although the consensus appears to be to stick with the program (and the federal money that comes with it).

The latest changes have to do with requirements for teacher training. Under the original law, all teachers of basic academic subjects were supposed to be "highly qualified" by the 2005-2006 school year. This translates into a bachelor's degree in the subject, full state certification and licenses, and proven competence in every subject taught.

Nothing wrong with that goal. But the deadline, which for many teachers meant a hurry-up effort to get back into school or into specialized training, was unrealistic.

In other areas, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige has eased the rules so that teachers can demonstrate their competence through rigid evaluation rather than by achieving additional certificates or education.

In all areas of the No Child law, it is critical that administrators — both locally and in Washington — recognize that the goal is not to hit arbitrary targets of teacher competence and student testing, but rather to elevate the quality of education for each and every child.

As long as that more general goal is placed first, this law can work.