Under ‘No Child’ Law, Even Solid Schools Falter

[groovedaddy]

SACRAMENTO — Prairie Elementary School had not missed a testing target since the federal No Child Left Behind law took effect in 2002. Until now.

The school, perched on a tidy, oak-shaded campus in a working-class neighborhood here, has moved each of its student groups — Hispanics, blacks, Asians, whites, American Indians, Filipinos, Pacific Islanders, English learners, the disabled — toward higher proficiency in recent years.

Over all, the number of its students passing tough statewide tests had increased by more than three percentage points annually, a solid record.

But this year, California schools were required to make what experts call a gigantic leap, increasing the students proficient in every group by 11 percentage points. For the first time, Prairie, and hundreds of other California schools, fell short, a failure that results in probation and, unless reversed, federal sanctions within a year.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/education/13child.html?th&emc=th

[amdezurik]

1. the point of NCLB was to destroy public schools

so in that sense it is "working". Not much you can expect when the concept was based on a fraud, written by liars and enforced by assholes.

[screembloodymurder]

3. Yes, a fraud.

And it aimed to discredit the teachers as well.

[Frances]

4. Agree

The Repubs wanted each child to have a voucher to go to a private school, preferably a fundamentalist school where science and critical thinking were not taught. That way the Repubs could indoctrinate the population and maintain power for the foreseeable future.

The Repubs planned to get their technical and scientific workers from other countries. These foreign workers would be here temporarily and would not be allowed to vote.

Their plan was based on greed and corruption.

[Davis_X_Machina]

5. Or send them to a for-profit...

...school owned by campaign contributors. I don't think religious indoctrination is anywhere near as important the GOP as channeling money to the right people, and destroying the reliably-democratic teachers unions.

Their God is money, not God.

[Dora]

6. I agree with you.

The destruction of public education is motivated by the right-wing's desire to redirect public money into private pockets.

[Democrats_win]

2. Would be a big step back if this harmed these solid schools. A bad legacy indeed.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. Yes, this year some schools in affluent Twin Cities suburbs failed

and everyone was scratching their heads over that one.

[DeepBlueDem]

8. As a former Educator in the Public School System

I witnessed first hand the impact on "No Child Left Behind" on turnover in the teaching profession.

For now, I will call it "All teaching left behind" thats what i've always call it, and always will

Since the passage of "All teaching left behind". Our state instituted State Testing from grades 9-12 (four years ago I left) There was a time where we tailored lesson plans to educate the students to carry with them through life. Lessons such as Essays, Group Projects, Discussion periods, and other means of stimulating the brain to think. I taught Biology, AP Physics, Chemistry, Human Anatomy and Physiology
The following school year came post "All teaching left behind", We were forced to implement our lesson plans geared towards passing the state mandated testing. What most of my colleagues didn't know was the disciplinary actions taken place if any of these weren't met.
1) If you fail to provide a lesson plans necessary that will help your students pass the test. (TEST TAILORED PLANS)
2) If you provide a lesson plans, it is mandatory to submit them to school officials for review.
3) (its different in some states) If your students dont meet the state criteria for passage.
YOUR JOB IS IN JEOPARDY.

All of these weren't a problem for me. However its the problem that the state tells us how to teach the students. It didn't agree with my teaching philosophy at all. I was well loved by my students mostly because I challenge their minds and allow them to think freely. After "All teaching left behind" I had to teach my students how to answer questions correctly. IT STINKS!!! I lasted only 1 year after that. On the other hand I had to watch other teachers stress themselves out over these stupid tests.

On the day before tests, My principal and Superintendents were visiting the school. It was the final straw. I was on my off period, I dug out my laptop, typed, printed and given them my notice. I told them that this Bull%$%t!!

Look at the turnover rate among teachers after "All teaching left behind"