WaPo: No Child Left Behind Act: Facts and Fiction (accurate?)

[DeepModem Mom]

The No Child Left Behind Act, in its second year, is the most ambitious federal effort to raise achievement in public schools in 38 years. It is also one of the most complicated education laws passed by Congress, leading to a host of myths and misinterpretations. Here are 10 statements about the law that experts say are heard often but are not firmly anchored in reality.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23818-2003Nov10.html


Wondering if any educators, or others knowledgeable about education, agree with the Post's ten-point assessment of the Act --

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. As a former teacher, I can comment on a couple of his points

First of all, I'm not teaching any more because here in the enlightened state of Arkansas I was told that since I wasn't related to any member of the School Board I could kiss the chance of getting a job good-bye. Oh, it is ok to substitute, because I was paid the same as any high school graduate who walks in off the street. And it is very funny that I was called on to do a long term substitute gig in a classroom that had four students who were children of School Board members. Truly, in this state who you know means more than what you know. In another case, I knew of two teachers, both raised here, who applied for a job in their local district. One had two years experience, the other none, so it wasn't a matter of a huge gap in salary to choose between them. The less experienced one got the job because she had more relatives on the school board. I let my certification here lapse as I realized it was a hopeless cause, and went into other fields of work.

Arkansas still ranks 49th among all the states in the union on education, despite all the hype about testing teachers and kids. The governor is revising state standards and devising a special Arkansas only test for the kids so things don't look so bad.

[Throckmorton]

2. I'm glad I'm in Connecticut,

Our Schools are not perfect, but, they are very good. I have one child in a regular 3rd grade class, and one in a special needs program in the 2nd grade. Both are receiving a first rate education, this in spite of our school district being 116th in overall spending in the state. Our district was rated 10th overall in performance.

[jonoboy]

3. the greatest investment in the future, the stock that will pay

the biggest dividends : the education of the children of the Country..these speculators can't even get that right.

[Palacsinta]

4. It failed on one level here in Lancaster, PA

I don't know (or remember) many of the specifics..........but an inner city public school "failed" to meet the standards..........a parent opted to move her two children to another school........lo and behold, there were no funds to subsidize the move and moreover, none of the "successful" schools were able to take the children as the schools had no room or funds for more students.

The mother abandoned her plan (bitterly!) and made a decision to work to make the "failing" school successful.

[qb]

5. It has resulted in BS report cards in my daughter's school

We got a letter with her first report card that states that no 4s (the highest grade) were awarded, because standards require that students show improvement from one term to the next. What a load of crap!

I can remember when you were graded on your performance, not some sham system of steadily increasing scores. Getting the SAME grade from one term to the next meant you were improving, as subjects got more advanced throughout the school year. Those who didn't improve got a lower grade.

I can hardly blame the school, since it is obvious they are desperately trying to hold on to their funding.