Washington, DC, Thursday, February 5, 2004 — The CCSSO No Child Left Behind Cost Consortium is seeking proposals from national consulting firms or individuals to work with states to understand the costs of implementing NCLB. The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to create a template for each state to identify the reforms required for successful implementation of NCLB and to quantify the costs associated with each change.
“This project is in direct response to our members’ requests for assistance in this area,” said Jordan Cross, manager of Federal-State Relations. “The Council is committed to helping states deal with pressing issues. A growing number of state education agencies (SEAs) are being asked by their legislatures to analyze the cost of NCLB. As states respond, we are looking to equip them with a valid methodology, reliable data, and a more informed budget and planning process.”
NCLB has imposed new criteria on each state education system. To date, each state has worked independently to calculate expenses, predict anticipated costs, and evaluate future budgetary needs. Through this proposal, CCSSO will help states as they begin to complete their own costs analysis. In doing so, states will be able to differentiate between the costs of state-initiated education policies and those reforms implemented for the sake of NCLB compliance.
CCSSO and its members would benefit from better information that supports a state’s effort to anticipate the budget requirements of implementing the law. This template will serve as a means for SEAs to respond to requests from state legislatures for specific
All questions about this RFP must be submitted by e-mail no later than February 12, 2004, at 1:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, to Jordan Cross at JordanC@ccsso.org. Please submit applications to Jordan Cross at Jordanc@ccsso.org no later than 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, February 16, 2004.
An RFP Evaluation Committee, comprised of six state representatives with experience in school finance and NCLB implementation, will evaluate all proposals received by the closing deadline. The Committee, in consultation with the CCSSO Board of Directors, will make a final determination about proposals. States hope to have data available by this summer.
Download RFP and FAQs.
The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and five U.S. extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO provides leadership, advocacy, and technical assistance on major educational issues. The Council seeks members’ consensus on major educational issues and expresses their views to civic and professional organizations, federal agencies, Congress, and the public. NCLB costs and will help promote meaningful resource allocation by assisting states in anticipating future costs of NCLB.
