[CDE/SCVNews.com] – Supported by many of California’s leading educators and school advocates, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and State Board of Education President Michael Kirst today officially submitted California’s request to set aside specified requirements of Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also known as ‘No Child Left Behind.’

California is requesting that the federal government allow the state to use its own accountability system to ensure that all schools improve, rather than the unworkable federal system that has labeled far too many schools as failing. California’s request differs from those filed by other states which agree to several additional federally required policies in exchange for an ESEA waiver.

Newhall School Superintendent Marc Winger and Castaic Superintendent James Gibson are among the state’s education leaders who submitted letters supporting the state’s position.

Gibson said the state’s testing system is effective, while the federal system’s punishments of school districts that show improvement are inappropriate.

“Our California testing system evaluates student growth, takes into account individual student learning needs and success, and accounts for student differentiation between classes, grades, schools and school districts,” Gibson said. “It has given teachers, schools and school districts comparable data that assist with the individual improvement of every child.”

“It is clear to me, and my colleagues in the Castaic Union School District, that any system of evaluation – as with NCLB – that uses artificial and educationally unsound hurdles to measure student success, and that punishes schools and school districts that have demonstrated tremendous growth and student learning improvement, is not the system for California.”

The following is a list of administrators, parents, teachers and others who submitted letters supporting California’s quest to opt out of NLCB:

* Rep. Grace F. Napolitano, D-Santa Fe Springs

* The California State PTA

* The California Teachers Association

* The California School Boards Association

* The California Association of School Business Officials

* The Association of California School Administrators

* The California Association of Private School Organizations

* The California Private School Advisory Committee

* The Riverside County School Superintendents’ Association Chair Elliott Duchon

* The School for Integrated Academics and Technologies

* Marin County Superintendent of Schools Mary Jane Burke

* Napa County Superintendent of Schools Barbara Nemco

* Napa Valley Unified School District Superintendent Patrick Sweeney

* St. Helena Unified School District Superintendent Bill McGuire

* Calistoga Joint Unified School District Superintendent Esmeralda Mondragon

* Howell Mountain Elementary School District Superintendent Tom Stubbs

* Pope Valley Union School District Superintendent Florence Eaton

* Santa Clara County Office of Education Curriculum and Instruction Coordinator Lisa Marie Gonzales

* Shasta County Superintendent of Schools Tom Armelino

* Brisbane and Bayshore Elementary School Districts Superintendent Toni Presta

* Campbell Union School District Associate Superintendent Ruth Bareket

* Carlsbad Unified School District Superintendent John Roach

* Castaic Union School District Superintendent James. M. Gibson

* Chico Unified School District Superintendent Kelly Staley

* East Whittier City School District Categorical Programs Director Danelle Amaraz

* Galt Joint Union Elementary School District Educational Services Director Robert Nacario

* Gonzales Unified School District Superintendent Elizabeth Modena

* Jamul-Dulzura Union School District Superintendent Nadine Bennett

* Milpitas Unified Assistant Superintendent / Educational Services Michelle Dimas

* Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Administrator, Intervention and Special Projects Administrator Emily Tsai

* Newhall School District Superintendent Marc Winger

* Pollock Pines Elementary School District Superintendent Kevin Monsma

* Silver Valley Unified School District Superintendent Marc Jackson

* Visalia Unified School District Superintendent Craig Wheaton

* Fairbanks Elementary School Principal Janis Wade

* Forest Grove Elementary School Principal Mariphil Romanow-Cole

* Park View Center School Principal Anthony Karch

* Stonehurst Elementary Principal Jill Imperiale

* Temescal Canyon High School Principal Errol Garnet

The State Board of Education is the governing and policy-making body for public K-12 education in California. The President of the Board is Michael W. Kirst and the Executive Director is Susan K. Burr. Board members are appointed for four-year terms by the Governor of California and are confirmed by the State Senate. For more information, please visit http://www.cde.ca.gov/be.