關鍵密碼：「N大小」在NCLB、Waiver與ESSA的意義、意涵與議題之探討

Critical Password: A Study on Meanings, Implications and Issues of “N-size” in NCLB, Waiver and ESSA

所謂的「N大小」（N-Size）與《不讓任何孩子落後法案》（No Child Left Behind, NCLB）績效系統中最主要且備受爭議的「年度適當進步標準」（Adequate Yearly Progress, AYP）掛鉤，AYP規定各州需要設定一個「分群」（subgroup）的最低人數限制（N），倘若某校某一特定「分群」的學生數小於州定的「N大小」數值，學校在該分群中就得以避開NCLB的績效審查和處罰，「N大小」的最小N值即如一只護身符，給予學校一道免死金牌，逃過AYP的嚴苛究責。「N大小」貫穿NCLB、「豁免計畫」（NCLB Waiver）與《每位學生都成功法案》（Every Student Succeeds Act, ESSA）的政策時程，隨NCLB的再授權而生，並未隨NCLB的終結而息，只憑藉不起眼的一個簡單N值數字，依舊在現行ESSA時代運作和發揮影響力，由小見大，N值的設定乃有其複雜、模糊操弄的空間，亦有著細膩、策略精算的一面，其本身潛藏的微妙政策與政治意涵不容小覷。鑑於「N大小」的特殊性與重要性，以及對國內十餘年來在NCLB相關研究提出政策終結的新審視，還有為國內在ESSA之蓄勢待發的研究上開創獨特新領域，本研究旨從扮演關鍵密碼角色的「N大小」入手，深入探討其在自NCLB（暨Waiver過渡期）至ESSA以來的起始、發展與所面臨的挑戰。

Under ESSA, as under NCLB (Waiver), a minimum number of students needed to form a student subgroup for federal reporting and accountability purposes is commonly referred to as the “n-size.” If a state’s n-size is X and a school has X-1 or less students from a given subgroup, no data of academic outcomes such as enrollment, graduates and standardized test scores will be reported. N-size then matters because a “manipulated” n might become a key way for districts and schools to escape from the arduous punishment by the accountability systems. Accordingly, n-size greatly embraces much of delicate implications of policies and politics given its ability to exert the profound influences across the eras of NCLB, Waiver and ESSA. Due to n-size’s importance and specialty, and to provide a closure on reviewing a decade of studies in NCLB, as well as create another unique direction for exploring ESSA, this paper aims to focus on n-size in terms of deeply examining its initiation, development and relevant issues through NCLB, Waiver and ESSA.