One* of the criticisms of NCLB's supplemental education services (SES) provisions is that there is not a good way to separate the impact of SES from the impact of regular classroom instruction on student achievement. In other words, the law purports to be all about accountability, but gives a pass to SES providers.

Now, Tennessee has a study that attempts to show the effects of SES on student achievement.  Although NCLB requires states to monitor the quality and effectiveness of SES, I haven't come across another state that has really done so.

Here are the report's findings:

• Student achievement results for 2004-2005 yielded no statistically reliable effects for any of the SES providers.
• Two providers had “below standards” outcomes for student achievement for the 2005-2006 school year, with the rest having “insufficient information” to determine outcomes.

Not good news for those complaining to the feds that money for SES and providers’ access to students and schools needs to be expanded in NCLB reauthorization.  The AFT and other organizations have argued that NCLB’s current sanctions are punitive, ineffective and not research-based and should be replaced with interventions that can actually help struggling schools.

*Other criticisms include that SES takes public dollars out of public schools and into private hands, SES providers don’t have to employ highly qualified teachers, they don’t have to serve students with disabilities or ELLs, there is often a disconnect between school-based curriculum and instruction and the instruction during the SES tutoring, etc.

UPDATE: Forgot to mention that we learned of this study from Steve Sawchuk's article in today's Ed Daily ($).