What do you think of the No Child Left Behind Policy?

Answer 1

It's the stupidest thing ever. Yea all kids are getting an education, but we are lowering the standards in schools.

Answer 2

I think the concept is good, but I believe it is impossible for it to be successful. Although the initiative claims to provide additional funding for schools, as well as flexibility, the changes in curriculum and needs for testing is costing districts millions of dollars. Schools are also spending a great deal of time teaching to tests in order to avoid "the list" (of schools not making adequate yearly progress), so many other things are being lost in the educational process, and more children are being left behind.

Answer 3

This plicy has done nothing except put the brunt of education squarley in the laps of teachers without giving them the support, resources or technology needed to bring about true change. The result has been more class time and budget dollars are being used to teach two subjects...math and reading..at the sacrifice of a truely well rounded education. Recess has nearly vanished in many schools. Art and music are nearly unheard of and PE has gone to once a week. Teachers are expected to maintain increased rates of instruction, with curriculum goals set to be reached sooner and with more over all goals, without taking into account that many kids are already struggling. Add in that many systems are reducing or eliminating many special ed programs, meaning a classroom teacher will have the added responsibility of meeting IEP and behavioral plan goals. Then you bring in the voucher programs. All this does is take even more money from failing school systems..who are often failing becuase they do not have the funds to be competitive.

I truely feel for American schools to be more competitive on a global level, we need to take a hard look at the counties we are in "competition" with. Most of these systems have strong, liberal arts based curriculums from the beginning of the education process. Many of these countries require testing for placement once high school is reached. Results can help send kids to schools for college prep, vocational training or , in many countries, the kids have the options to leave with a mid-level certificate and begin working as adults. Keep in mind European and Japanese HS is much closer to our junior colleges and HS usually doesn't start before a child is 16. And, perhaps most telling of all, these countries all pay far larger amounts of income tax than we do in the US to pay for the better educational systems thier kids enjoy. As a country, we constantly demand more from our educational systems but when the time comes to pay for it, we constantly vote against it by choosing tax cuts. Taxes are one way the states pay for our children's education. When you yell for more money for schools but then vote to cut your property taxes, you have just forced budget cuts. No Child Left Behind seemed a good idea..until the reality of it set in. Don't meet the testing goals, don't get the federal money. Don't get the federal money, don't have the funds to bring in the teachers or ideas to help get the scores up. Vote for the tax cuts and then loose even more money..the cycle is endless.

I honestly don't have a solution that is simple. We need to be willing to pay the taxes to pay our teachers a decent salary, to keep programs that have helped running and to bring in new programs to fill the gaps. We need to be willing to give of ourselves...volunteer as tutors, spend a morning in a class to give the teacher some help, help raise additional funds through groups like the PTA/PTO. We need to work at home with our kids and we need to let the schools know that while reading and math are important, so is the opportunity to spend an afternoon outside, riding a bike after school instead of spending three or four more hours a day on homework in the second grade. We, as parents, need to be willing to say.."This doesn't work. We want to fix it. Tell us how and we will."

Answer 4

Obviously not working because of the scramble to get good teachers everywhere. The pay stinks for teachers, so I wonder why it is tough for parents to get a good education for their children? I know whenever I have children, i'm going to home school them at least until high school so I don't have to worry about poor education.

Answer 5

I think that it is stupid when laws like this are passed and yet education budgets keep getting cut. How does the government expect teachers to succeed when the schools are not given the necessary funds?

Answer 6

It is complete bullsh*t because it does not emphasize the right stuff that students need.