Barack Obama’s plan to overhaul No Child Left Behind

[Fleshdancer]

I'm curious if teachers think this is a good move or not.


http://www.economist.com/world/united-states/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15721577&fsrc=rss

Arne Duncan, Mr Obama’s education secretary, likes to say that the new plan is about “getting accountability right”. This is easier said than done, but Messrs Obama and Duncan are forging ahead. Most important, the federal government would have a strong role in some areas and a much lighter touch in others.

A state could no longer set a low bar for achievement. By 2015 states would be required to adopt stringent new standards and tests for English and maths, with a goal of being “college- and career-ready” by 2020. (In a boost for the president, the National Governors Association presented a draft of standards last week.) Schools would be judged not by snapshots of performance but by whether students progress over time. Mr Obama would reward schools that show the most improvement and require intervention for those that show the least. For the vast majority of schools, however, states and districts would be left alone to meet their targets. On top of these main reforms Mr Obama offers a thick layer of grants for favoured initiatives, such as merit pay and expanding the school year.

[w4rma]

1. Merit pay is BS. Also, last I checked Duncan wants funding to change the worst 5% to charters. (nt)

[Oregone]

2. YAY! ITLL BE ANOTHER WIN!

[DJ13]

4. Thats the spirit!

:spray:

[Oregone]

7. HISTORIC!!!!

And lets privatize the fuck outta it all to make sure we have the votes. Victory!

[Political Heretic]

3. I can't even get into this. Talk about emotionally exhausted.

[Hannah Bell]

5. the main feature is: every year, 5% of schools will be closed, charterized, or have staff fired.

the rest is just distraction.

it's Shock Doctrine in action.

[Marr]

6. I don't see much reason to give this guy a friendly Congress to work with.

I really don't.

[Kerrytravelers]

8. Educator here. Just off the top of my head, without reading the full article and researching...

“getting accountability right”
I agree with the idea of this. Who wouldn't? But the execution may be questionable, I don't know yet.

the federal government would have a strong role in some areas and a much lighter touch in others.
I'll need more details. I could go either way on this.

A state could no longer set a low bar for achievement.
That seems fair. I'm not sure why all the states aren't aligned the same on the core subjects.

By 2015 states would be required to adopt stringent new standards and tests for English and maths,
Seems fine.

Schools would be judged not by snapshots of performance but by whether students progress over time.
This is something I have always felt strongly about. Looking at progress throughout one year and over multiple years seems more sensible that one test to win or lose all.

Mr Obama would reward schools that show the most improvement and require intervention for those that show the least.
I need more details to have an opinion.

For the vast majority of schools, however, states and districts would be left alone to meet their targets.
Does this mean teachers get to teach again?

Mr Obama offers a thick layer of grants for favoured initiatives,
Grants could be a good thing...

such as merit pay and
This will never work. How can merit be defined when children are all so different. There is no way to compare teachers when each child is so different. One year, I had a class where eight of my students were all accepted into the Gifted Program. The following year, I had ten children who were born addicted to various narcotics. The issues were so deep, they academically couldn't compare to my previous class. I had to alter my plans, my style- everything. What I did for each group of kids was so vastly different, how in the world could one define one year as worthy of merit and one year not?

expanding the school year.
I'm fine with this. I tend to favor longer days with block scheduling, which would allow for a longer prep period. I also favor a Teacher's Aide full time in the classroom, too.

[Fleshdancer]

9. Thank you for your insight

I had no idea Obama was looking to tackle NCLB so soon after healthcare so I was surprised to come across this article.