On January 8, 2002, President George W. Bush signed the Leave No Child Behind Act, enacting legislation that infuses the federal government into public education more than ever before as it attempts to increase —and accurately measure—the educational achievement of American students. The Leave No Child Behind Act requires that America’s public school children be administered standardized tests in reading and math and that all schools be held accountable for student performance. It would also allow government vouchers to fund the private education of students from failing public schools and would hold teachers to stricter educational standards.

Many argue that the emphasis on academic testing will divert attention from other developmental and social needs of children that have long been a focus of schools. Vouchers could drain the very funds needed to improve public education. Stricter teacher training might further deplete the ranks of a profession already losing many of its best and brightest.

One month after the signing of this historic piece of educational legislation, over 600 policy makers, teachers, researchers and parents met at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina to discuss this law and other important issues affecting schoolchildren today.

The spirited discussion that followed, not only sized up the current President’s often-controversial legislation, but also the spotlighted the current state of education in the United States through the issues of accountability, character education, teacher shortages, minority achievement gaps and global education. The result is an insightful, spirited look at American public education— Education Leadership Summit: Leave No Child Behind airing Monday, September 2 at 10 PM only on UNC-TV.

Hosted by Kenneth A. Dodge, director of the Duke University Center for Child and Family Policy, and Ann Denlinger, superintendent of Durham Public Schools, UNC-TV’s hour-long program Education Leadership Summit: Leave No Child Behind captures all five of the participating secretaries reflecting on the chief issues of their respective tenures and recent educational legislation. From school vouchers to global educational issues, this informative production yields historical perspectives, pressing challenges and future recommendations on many of the subjects affecting America’s teachers, parents, students and schools.

Celebrated education policymaker and former four-term North Carolina Governor James Hunt moderates the roundtable discussion with Secretary William J. Bennett (U.S. Secretary of Education, 1985 - 1988), Secretary Lauro F. Cavazos (U.S. Secretary of Education, 1988 - 1990), Secretary Lamar Alexander (U.S. Secretary of Education, 1991 – 1993), Secretary Richard W. Wiley (U.S. Secretary of Education, 1993 – 2001), and current U.S. Secretary of Education Roderick Paige.

• Accountability
  
How do we hold students, teachers and schools academically accountable? Take a closer look at the new legal requirements for student testing and school accountability standards for the results of these tests. Do varied state methods for achieving these similar ends, failing schools being subject to sanctions and closures and debates about the emphasis on testing, undermine the new legislation?

• Character Education
  Recent world events have made clear the importance of reexamining our societal values and promoting high moral character. What is the best way to provide these values to students? Are character education classes the key or should these values be taught by the models that teachers provide?

• The Teacher Shortage
  One-third of teachers will leave the profession within five years, and the shortage will grow worse as the cry for smaller classes grows louder. Can improvements in the quality of teaching and the quantity of teachers be achieved by not only raising the standards, but the rewards, of the profession?

• Minority Achievement Gap
  The majority of African American fourth graders cannot read at grade level, revealing sizable failures in public education. Will more government accountability or increasing the numbers of minority teachers help to narrow the minority achievement gap and prevent its devastating effects on the nation’s future?

• Global Education
  With the tragedy of September 11 in mind, the Summit addresses and debates global issues in education, including teaching about Islamic faith and culture, and establishing a renewed emphasis on the subjects like geography.

Education Leadership Summit: Leave No Child Behind is a production of UNC-TV and the Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke University and is part of UNC-TV’s ongoing commitment to produce and broadcast programs for and about North Carolina UNC-TV is North Carolina’s only statewide broadcasting system, made possible through a unique partnership of public investment and private support.