State Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak has called for changes in the federal No Child Left Behind Act to provide more money and flexibility.

"We continue to support the fundamental purpose of No Child Left Behind, which is to ensure that every student has mastered essential skills by the time they graduate and also to raise achievement levels for all students," he said in a news release yesterday. "But it has become clear that there is a gap between intent and successful implementation."

Following talks with teachers and administrators, Dr. Zahorchak recommended changes in four key areas:

More federal money. The state needs an additional $254 million in federal support to provide the needed technical assistance. Schools need more money as well. A total of 162 school districts statewide found their federal Title I funds reduced in each of the last three years.

Encouragement for states to adopt national standards and assessments to alleviate the problem of inconsistency across states.

More flexibility for states, including in the testing of special education students.

Permission to evaluate results based on student growth.

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, among other things, calls for all students to be proficient in math and reading by 2014 and sets sanctions for schools failing to meet various interim goals.

The act is up for reauthorization in this session of Congress. Some argue that if it is not reauthorized by fall, it will be long delayed because of the presidential campaign season.

Thus, there has been a flurry of reports and hearings, including one yesterday by the state Senate Education Committee.

At the end of the hearing, Sen. James Rhoades, R-Schuylkill, education committee chairman, said meeting NCLB goals must be a priority, schools need flexibility and the federal government has given too little money.

The state education department's recommendations are similar to many made across the nation, although details of how to put the changes into effect vary.

John See, spokesman for the American Federation of Teachers, said, "They do look a lot like what's coming out from a lot of other organizations. They identify the same problems that other proposals have identified in areas like funding, special education assessments and sanctions on schools.

"Communities all across the country are running into problems with these."

Scott Frein, director of advocacy for the Council of Chief State School Officers, which includes all states except Colorado, said there were no surprises in Pennsylvania's report.

He said the council itself issued recommendations on many of the same issues in January and tomorrow will release proposed legislative language.

He said about a half-dozen states also are putting out reports.