Do you think "No Child Left Behind" is working?
No Child Left Behind requires all public schools to administer a state-wide standardized test. The students' scores are used to determine whether the school has taught the students well. Schools which receive Title I funding through the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 must make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in test scores (e.g. each year, its fifth graders must do better on standardized tests than the previous years). (all students take the same test under the same conditions) annually to all students.
If the school's results are repeatedly poor, then a series of steps are taken to improve the school. Schools that miss AYP for a second consecutive year are publicly labeled as being "in need of improvement" and are required to develop a two-year improvement plan for the subject that the school is not teaching well. Students are given the option to transfer to a better school within the school district, if any exists. Missing AYP in the third year forces the school to offer free tutoring and other supplemental education services to struggling students. If a school misses its AYP target for a fourth consecutive year, the school is labeled as requiring "corrective action," which might involve actions like the wholesale replacement of staff, introduction of a new curriculum, or extending the amount of time students spend in class. The fifth year of failure results in planning to restructure the entire school; the plan is implemented if the school fails to hit its AYP targets for the sixth year in a row. Common options include closing the school, turning the school into a charter school, hiring a private company to run the school, or asking the state office of education to directly run the school..
Here's my view on the NCLB act. In essense, it was a good idea. However, instead of teachers taking account of their actions and teaching methods, and adjusting them accordingly, they are now simply "teaching the test". They are informed of what items will be on the standardized tests, and just teach those sections to the students, thus eliminating the "teacher and school accountability".
Schools are more concerned with how much funding they will recieve than whether their students are actually LEARNING. Through my observations I have witnessed this is many schools in ALL grades time and time again.
This act is actually doing more harm than good at this point.
no I don't think it's working. Teachers put so much stress on these kids at a young age over this test that it's ridiculous. From the very first day of school all they hear is how important these tests are. I think it's doing more harm than good. Plus the schools aren't even using their funding wisely. Why is it at my children's school the very first thing to get cut was the extra tutoring program after school for those children who need it?
Excatly. My 3rd grader was given 2 math books this year. One regular 3rd grade math and the other "to get ready for the state test". They shouldn't have to "get ready for" the test. It's supposed to see what they know. Not what they can "cram" for. She passed the test but is still struggling to tell time and has very little knowledge of multiplication or division. She also has some struggles with reading comprehension and spelling. When I asked her teacher about these she replied "Well I'm sure she'll pass the state test...." I was like "Well that's great...but what about AFTER the state tests..?"
It's so frustrating and makes me so mad.....you probably shouldn't have gotten me started on this subject LOL
Quoting mommy.of.3.boys:
Here's my view on the NCLB act. In essense, it was a good idea. However, instead of teachers taking account of their actions and teaching methods, and adjusting them accordingly, they are now simply "teaching the test". They are informed of what items will be on the standardized tests, and just teach those sections to the students, thus eliminating the "teacher and school accountability".
Schools are more concerned with how much funding they will recieve than whether their students are actually LEARNING. Through my observations I have witnessed this is many schools in ALL grades time and time again.
This act is actually doing more harm than good at this point.
OMG.......you just took the words right out of my mouth.
Quoting lovemymarine306:
hahahaha...f*ck no, its not working!
And spending is another big one...our district cut all PE teachers, Music teachers and Librarians do to "funding". Yet chose this as the first year to supply all of the supplies the students need...WTF?
Quoting retsillacam:
no I don't think it's working. Teachers put so much stress on these kids at a young age over this test that is ridiculous. From the very first day of school all they hear is how important these tests are. I think it's doing more harm than good. Plus the schools aren't even using their funding wisely. Why is it at my children's school the very first thing to get cut was the extra tutoring program after school for those children who need it?
it's crazy. I am ready to pull my children out of public school and home school them.
Quoting mommyof035and6:
And spending is another big one...our district cut all PE teachers, Music teachers and Librarians do to "funding". Yet chose this as the first year to supply all of the supplies the students need...WTF?
Quoting retsillacam:
no I don't think it's working. Teachers put so much stress on these kids at a young age over this test that is ridiculous. From the very first day of school all they hear is how important these tests are. I think it's doing more harm than good. Plus the schools aren't even using their funding wisely. Why is it at my children's school the very first thing to get cut was the extra tutoring program after school for those children who need it?
I wasn't payin attention and voted yes...i meant to say no lol.
Considering we have high schoolers graduating who STILL can't read, write, do basic multiplication, or do a simple word problem. Then it can't be working very well.
No, it's not. I just finished a research paper which my topic was Montessori method as an alternative to NCLB act and other current education reform efforts. Research overwhelming supports methods that are completely non existent in NCLB approach to education.
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on Nov. 22, 2009 at 4:15 PM