No Child Left Behind
by "No Child Left Behind" was meant to push teachers into insuring that all children learned, passed all tests, and wouldn’t be left behind to repeat the same grade. It did sound like a good plan, but it hasn’t worked. Classes were dumbed down for poor learners. Teachers have been pressed hard. Their time in the class room is a rigid set of rules. They must drill students daily in math and reading so slow learners pass standard tests. No students can be held back and schools are failing at a greater rate than ever before. Government has not provided the resources they promised. It’s time to hand the schools back to the states and get on with learning.
The “No Child Left Behind” was signed into law by George W. Bush on Jan. 8, 2002. It was a shift into accountability for schools. The plan seemed to be a perfect plan for school children who were held back because of low test scores. There would be rules to follow and no excuses for failure. Some were fearful of depriving states of the control they had always held over schools, but it still seemed the best plan to enact education reform.
The plan began to erode almost at once. Schools were forced to dumb down their standards to ensure their schools abide by NCLB’s rigid rules. Eight months after the law was in place, the Department of Education released it’s first report of failing shcools, nearly 9,000 schools were named, and they were not just inner city schools. There were failures at suburban schools where high grade majorities had masked the low achievment of minorities.
States were on the defensive. They were embarrassed and angry. They were creative. Utah and Ohio removed the more difficult questions on the statewide exams and refined how schools were judged to be failing. Failing schools dropped from 760 to 200. Other states followed suit. More than 20 states banded together, urging Congress to exempt them from the law. In addition to forcing states to release annual scores, the National Assessment of Education is often called the nation’s report card, testing samples of fourth and eighth graders every two years to compare students progress in states that have different standards.
There is no consquence for not learning and the students know it, says superintendant John Dale. If students fail the reading or math test, the school might not let them play in the band, but they wont be held back a year or forced to attend summer school. The worst thing is when students have questions and interests and the teacher has to say, “We don’t have time to talk about that.” There is little time for students to pursue any special interests or electives.
NCLB was supposed to find schools that were truely failing their students. The government would direct more resources to help the schools turn around, or shut them down. Neither happened and now even people who wrote the law thinks the law needs to be replaced. It has hurt rather than helped students. Deficiencies have been known from the beginning. The law decreed that 100% of students must be proficient in reading and math by 2014 but did nothing to help schools reach that goal. NCLB is a law that everyone knows isn’t working, but it lingers, neglected where it will stay, at least until after this year’s election.
Ruby Hawk’s articles:
http://socyberty.com/education/punishment-at-school-30-years-ago/
http://socyberty.com/activism/the-coal-industry-said-what/
http://socyberty.com/politics/baptist-and-bootleggers-make-strange-bedfellows/
http://socyberty.com/people/charles-and-emma-darwin-the-marriage-of-science-and-religion/
http://socyberty.com/history/president-roosevelts-tree-army/
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Post Commentrubysexy
On January 18, 2012 at 10:27 pm
Nice article.
LCM Linda
On January 18, 2012 at 10:34 pm
“No Child Left Behind” shouldn’t be done in this way. Give poor standard children extra helps so that they can keep up with the general standard.
stephaniemorris26
On January 18, 2012 at 11:59 pm
My girls are in the 6th grade and it seems like they are learning nothing but math now. When I was in school equal emphasis was placed on all subjects, but now it just seems like these kids are learning nothing.
indianwriting
On January 19, 2012 at 12:12 am
unfair on other children..
zeo
On January 19, 2012 at 1:32 am
I Who am now a college student left the public school system in seventh grade because of the failure I was observing. In fourth grade I was moved to a “GATE” class which stood for gifted and talented education. This class was my public school’s idea of a challenging class. It was a joke. The classes continually got worst as the grades went on. I never really participated in class, but showed up for the tests & still made a perfect scores. Thus I left to get a private Christian education where I could actually learn something.
It’s my personal opinion that either all children should go to private school, or the public school system should fail students who can’t make the cut then place them in special tutor classes so that they might be able to pass. “No Child Left Behind” should mean that the standard overall is raised not lowered. We shouldn’t make it easier for them to pass we should make it harder and force the students to rise to the new standard of excellence set before them.
LoveDoctor
On January 19, 2012 at 2:20 am
Not every child learns at the same pace. I think this is why some students are failing their courses. A private tutor is a good option, but no every parent can afford it. I totally agree with the last statement of your article.
LoveDoctor
On January 19, 2012 at 2:21 am
Your answer was very original. thanks for sharing
papaleng
On January 19, 2012 at 3:31 am
Good idea then ,but I believe each child have his/her own learning pace.
Angelji
On January 19, 2012 at 3:38 am
reinforcement of the parents are very much needed..
petercurtis97
On January 19, 2012 at 3:58 am
Whilst you have brought good facts to the table and children not all learning at same pace leaves us with questions. Is the school or system at fault or are the children different in scope of learning.
Christine Ramsay
On January 19, 2012 at 4:59 am
Though it isn’t easy, with differentiation in the classroom it is possible for all children to progress at a pace suitable for each individual. As long as there is some input from special needs assistants and parents there is no reason for children to be left behind.
Secre22
On January 19, 2012 at 5:07 am
The UK system seems to work on the most part and we very rarely hold children back unless there is a really good reason. However we have put in place the support for students who are struggling which from your article seems to be noticibly lacking in this system.
Nidhi Rai
On January 19, 2012 at 5:23 am
This is very informative.
Lisa Marie Mottert
On January 19, 2012 at 9:29 am
Good article… Thanks, for bringing attention to it.
macolom
On January 19, 2012 at 1:51 pm
Great article. NCLB really goes against motivating students. Why are they ever going to work hard if at the end doing nothing gets you through?
megamatt09
On January 19, 2012 at 2:40 pm
A serious issue that sadly is not being looked at closely enough.
yes me
On January 19, 2012 at 2:53 pm
If it takes a one on one then, that is what it should be, in order for kids to get a proper grade… Ruby I was 35, before I found out I was dyslexic, there are thousands of kids… now getting real help with it, instead of being told they, are stupid or lazy, another great share Ruby cheers
Zoe Hillson
On January 19, 2012 at 4:48 pm
The American way to teach kids doesn’t work! That is why I took it upon myself to homeschool my child. In the eleventh grade enrolled in a college writing course. The professor was highly impressed and wasn’t aware that my child was homeschooled. My child completed A+++++ work that other students who attended a conventional school system. Today’s teachers are self-serving and lining their deep pockets with the taxpayers money. In addition, the teachers have some nerve to complain their not being paid enough. In my school district new teachers are being awarded salaries starting at $45,000 per year while senior teachers are making $85,000. Just for everyone’s information: I know a man that worked as a teacher for 29 years and retired with a pension of 80% of his salary. His retirement is $6,500 per month plus his social security which is $4,500 per month. And he still complains he doesn’t have enought money!
SydneyJ
On January 19, 2012 at 5:02 pm
This is a nice article, I think the no child gets left behind program is a great thing that we have in our schools.
Moses Ingram
On January 19, 2012 at 7:08 pm
Another good article Ruby.
Shirley Shuler
On January 19, 2012 at 8:20 pm
I never thought No Child Left Behind was a good idea from the start, Ruby.
sk sharma
On January 20, 2012 at 2:40 am
Govt need to rethink about it, policies and rules should be made to benefit and get a positive attitude in kids
Thewoodlandelf
On January 20, 2012 at 4:54 pm
Excellent! I could not agree more with your article. No child left behind seriously falls short of its own goals. The only thing no child left behind does is force teachers to make sure their students pass the standardized tests. It doesn’t allow them the freedom to actually teach kids how to learn, or give them the opportunity to be interested in learning. It is just about memorizing facts to pass a test.
PR Mace
On January 23, 2012 at 7:21 pm
Excellent article, Ruby. Here is Florida it’s not working well. There are still a lot of children left behind.
ittech
On January 26, 2012 at 2:14 am
oh good to know this…:)