Holy Cross Junior Receives Prize for Work During Semester in Washington

WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross junior Steven Hickey has been selected by the College’s Center for Interdisciplinary and Special Studies as the 2007 spring semester’s Washington Semester Away program award. He will present his thesis, “An ‘F’ for Determining Accountability: Problem Definition and the No Child Left Behind Act,” on April 10 at 4:30 p.m. in Rehm Library at the College of the Holy Cross.

While in Washington, D.C., Hickey interned in the Office of Senator Barack Obama. He worked with Obama’s legislative assistant for education, conducting policy research in the area of public education. He was also responsible for carrying out a number of other duties, including composing correspondence in response to constituent opinions, concerns, and requests; leading tours of the U.S. Capitol Building; writing memos; attending briefings; drafting press releases; and assisting with meetings. In addition, he assisted with advance work for Obama’s speech on energy independence at Georgetown University.

Hickey’s talk will focus on the concept of problem definition in public policy and the specific deficiencies with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

“I will talk about how a specific social construction of school accountability — that I argue is flawed — led to the implementation of a flawed law whose provisions cannot be met,” said Hickey. “I argue that No Child Left Behind’s adequate yearly progress standards for improvement, which require that all students in all states demonstrate proficiency in both math and reading by 2014, are unattainable and serve to undermine the law’s intent by causing states and local school districts to implicitly lower their standards.”

Hickey advocates a redefinition of school accountability that takes into account individual abilities and starting levels. He recommends that the No Child Left Behind Act be amended to utilize student growth models, based on the Florida A+ plan, as a more accurate measure of student accountability.

Hickey, from Ipswich, is a political science major in the College Honors Program. At Holy Cross, he has been an active participant in the Student Government Association, where he has served as chief of staff. He is currently assistant chief of staff for the SGA and a resident assistant in Mulledy Hall. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in public service in the field of public policy, with an emphasis on domestic policy in Washington, D.C. He is also considering law school after gaining some work experience. In the immediate future, he hopes to get involved in Obama’s presidential campaign.

The prize is awarded each semester for the best research paper produced in the Washington Semester Away program. The recipient of the prize is accorded the opportunity to give a public lecture at the College on his or her thesis. In addition, the recipient receives a bound copy of the thesis and is presented the book award during commencement exercises.