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Departing from "Whole Language" reading teaching, the National Reading Panel's report placed an emphasis on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, guided oral reading, and reading comprehension strategies. These strategies greatly changed curriculum and the way reading was taught in schools.
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The NCLB Act is approved by Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush. The NCLB Act primarily addressed testing and accountability. Schools were graded based on testing scores and requirements were imposed regarding student and school performance.
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Signed into law by President Barack Obama, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, also referred to as the Stimulus Act, provided dollars for several programs, including education. Within this act, the Race to the Top grant was enacted. Race to the Top is, in many ways, a response to NCLB. Race to the Top emphasized teacher accountability and the creation of teacher standards.
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In response to perceived global competition and weak state standards, the Common Core Standards were developed. These standards, though they may contain some differences, have been adopted by all but 8 states. The Common Core Standards place great emphasis on inquiry and problem solving, as opposed to more traditional education programs. The Common Core Standards also place the students at the center of education. California adopted the standards in 2010.
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The Equity and Excellence Commission was established to investigate disparaties between schools and offer solutions for equitable education for all.
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As of this date, 33 states were granted waivers to requirements within No Child Left Behind. These waivers indicate changing views on what is important and/or possible in American education.
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President Obama pledges to provide more funding for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs. Programs specifically target girls and those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged. STEM activities are in line with Common Core Standards as they focus on inquiry and problem solving (i.e.: process is more important than content).
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In response to the anti-testing movement, President Obama announces a plan to limit standardized testing to no more than two percent of class time. This comes after over 150,000 students were opted out of standardized testing in New York alone. This plan is in startk contrast to NCLB, which is entirely dependenent on standardized testing.
