Among other requirements, the law requires additional testing of students’ progress beyond what Connecticut already does. That, said Kurtz, takes away control from local authorities.

"With mandates, the control is elsewhere and forces you to use the money the way they prioritize it," Kurtz said.

"There is a loss of local control, and ever since the law went into effect in 2002, we’ve had more money cut each year, with more initiatives added.

"Mandates are someone else’s priorities, so that means that it’s less for you to have priority over, because you have to give whatever focus is required first to the resources to the mandates, and what’s left you get to manage,"Kurtz said.

"That may or may not be the same mandates as you, but you don’t have a choice."

Kurtz also criticized the way the NCLB program is designed.

"The focus is so narrow, we don’t have the finances to focus on the whole child. It’s something we need to do, and much more than that," Kurtz said.

"(If) they think it’s important enough to have this law, you have to have the money to meet the demands.

"You can’t calculate all of the money that it costs us in human resource time." She said when her staff spends time on mandated items, it depletes resources for local initiatives.

In a statement released earlier this week, Blumenthal announced that school superintendents from across the state have voted to endorse the NCLB lawsuit.

Blumenthal plans to argue on behalf of the state next week at U.S. District Court in New Haven.

According to Blumenthal’s statement, he believes that across the nation there is mounting consensus that the federal government must be held accountable for its education promises.

Currently, 109 of the 169 school boards have endorsed Blumenthal’s NCLB suit since he filed suit in August.Connecticut is the only state to challenge the law in court.

Franchone Fraser-Ben Reuben Bey can be reached at ffraser@newbritainherald.com or by calling (860) 225-4601, Ext. 221.