Several national education associations have expressed concern over President Barack Obama’s proposal to link Title 1 funds to the adoption of college- and career-ready standards.

Under the proposal, states would be required to adopt higher-level Common Core Standards in English language arts and math in order to qualify for Title 1 grant funds.

However, there has been concern in the field over the coercive nature of the proposal. Gerald Tirozzi, executive director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, said that although his association supports the concept of Common Core Standards, the methods of "encouragement" are questionable.

"NASSP applauds the Obama administration’s encouragement for states to adopt college- and career-ready standards, as our organization has long been a proponent of high academic standards for all students and is an endorsing partner in the development of the Common Core," he said. "The manner of encouragement, however, raises significant concerns. The administration’s proposal to withhold all Title 1 funds from states that choose not to comply, while making for vigorous policy debate, ultimately threatens the education and well-being of students in poverty – the very students who most need support and for whom Title 1 was created."

The National School Boards Association has brought up similar concerns. Executive Director Anne Bryant said this attempt has brought up many questions concerning the federal government’s role in public education and it sets a dangerous precedent.

"While the goal of high academic standards is laudable and school boards strongly support it, this amounts to an unnecessary over-reach by the federal government to coerce states to adopt a particular approach or be shut out of future funding for key programs. This level of coercion is unnecessary, because 48 states are already voluntarily working to develop Common Core Standards," she said. "Rather than providing a positive incentive for states to develop and adopt rigorous common standards, the irony of this proposal is that it penalizes states that do not follow the administration’s approach by withdrawing Title 1 funding from the students, schools, and school districts that need the support most.

"This new condition on funding for key federal programs also opens the door for the federal government to call for even more conditions, such as the use of national tests for accountability purposes."

While ACSA also supports the development of Common Core Standards, it does not support mandates tied to provisions that are as yet unseen, said ACSA Legislative Advocate Sherry Skelly Griffith.

"We support the Common Core Standards review process and will participate in California’s independent standards review this spring," she said. "We would be concerned if Title 1 funds are tied to any mandate in which we have yet to see the final product, particularly content standards. We do, however, support incentives to collaborate on Common Core Standards that are both college- and career-ready."

In the meantime, ACSA leaders are reviewing proposals related to the federal reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Based on input from the field, draft recommendations of the No Child Left Behind Task Force, and approved recommendations from the Assessment and Accountability Task Force, ACSA will submit final recommendations to federal officials in the coming weeks.