Adopted: June 10, 1997 by Van Wert City School - Board of Education

National Education Standards, Assessments, and Certification

Mr. Stoller moved, seconded by Mr. Henkaline, that the Board of Education adopt the following Resolution

National Education Standards, Assessment, and Certification Resolution

WHEREAS: Van Wert City Schools has long regarded a policy of high standards for educational excellence as a cornerstone of their responsibility. Likewise, have we continually held ourselves and our students under critical assessment to evaluate each of us, as to the job we are doing, and the results we are achieving. We hereby rededicate ourselves to those ideals, and acknowledge our need and desire in the future, to pursue an ever improving system of high standards, realistic and meaningful goals, and effectual methods of assessment to ensure our success, and

WHEREAS: It has been historically true, and constitutionally required, that public schools are the responsibility of the state and local government. As so charged, they have developed and administered our present public schools with all the standards and assessments systems in place, and

WHEREAS: The United States Government has begun an initiative under the "Goals 2000: Educate America Act", and its accompanying law, the "School-to-Work Opportunities Act", to supplant the responsibility of state and local government with federal authority for the governance of our public school systems, and in the future, to develop and administer federal standards, assessment systems, and certification regulations for all our nation's educational and vocational endeavors, and

WHEREAS: National standards and assessment which result in eligibility certification for further education or vocational advancement of the individual are not in keeping with our traditional personal freedoms, neither does it serve the best interest of our children, our labor force, our free enterprise system, or the future of our nation, and

THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED: That the Van Wert City School Board of Education hereby states its concern and opposition to federal "Goals 2000" and "School-to-Work" legislation, or any other movement towards development of national educational standards, assessments, and certification, and

FURTHER THAT: The Board of Education communicates its concern with our elected representatives to the Ohio State legislature, our elected representatives to the Congress of the United States, the Governor of the State of Ohio, the Ohio State School Board, the Ohio State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Ohio School Boards Association. Such communication shall contain an appeal to their office for cooperation in opposing any such movement towards national standards, assessment, and certification, to ask of each their knowledge of the subject, and to state their position regarding it, and

FURTHER THAT: In order to create awareness among our colleagues in public education, this Board communicate with local boards of education across the state of Ohio, stating the concerns aforementioned, and enlisting their support as well in an effort to discourage any development and implementation of national standards, assessments and certification, and

FURTHER THAT: In order to create awareness among the public we serve, this Board communicate with the Van Wert Times Bulletin, WERT radio of Van Wert, and the Van Wert Chamber of Commerce stating the concerns aforementioned, and enlisting their support as well in an effort to discourage any development and implementation of national standards, assessments, and certification.

The roll being called upon the adoption of the Resolution, members Stoller, Henkaline, Cook, Markward, and Mengerink, voting "aye", the motion carried.

---- For further information, contact Gary Stoller at 419 238-9315.

The Van Wert board's letter to all school boards in Ohio.

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