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

Answer 1

I think it's the biggest load of crap to be passed in the last 100 years.
Please look at what states are doing right now because of that act! The BEST example is Georgia. For the past several years, in fact from the time the act passed until this year, they were several places BEHIND South Carolina in the national ranks. Under the Act, ANY TEST can be used to measure how well your students are doing - both Georgia and South Carolina were using the same standardized test. THIS YEAR Georgia developed their own test, and amazingly, they soared to 6 places AHEAD of South Carolina. (They dumbed down the test.)
No Child Left Behind DUMBS DOWN OUR CLASSROOMS! Children SHOULD be left behind if they can't cut it. Parents need to take some responsibility for their children's learning.

Answer 2

No Child Left Behind is a typically political way to solve a problem ... that can't be solved politically. Instead of asking the academic community, and teachers themselves what they thought would be the best way solve the problems they decided to go with the only thing politicians know how to do -- bureaucratize, analyze, and use money to change.

It is the biggest load of bulls$% I have ever seen ... all it really does is make it harder for teachers to do their job, and punishes a lot of schools for factors thats are out of their control.

I actually thought about being a High School teacher, but then No Child Left Behind came along, and I just thought "screw that ..." so I went ahead and earned a Ph.D so I could teach at the university level -- primarily because I wouldn't have to deal with No Child Left Behind.

Answer 3

I think it's a farce. Kids spend time learning how to pass a test. Thing that really got me was the Florida testing (FCAT). If you failed that test, it didn't matter what grades you got the rest of the year, you failed. The No Child Left Behind program lowers standards so that more States can boast scores to obtain government money. Most States now consider 60% passing where it used to be 70% for all grading purposes.

Answer 4

It causes an enequity. By trying to "leave no one behind", the schools become a breeding ground of mediocrity. The schools pander to the middle ground.

Raise up the lower performers and drag down the bright and motivated.

Answer 5

I think it's cheating children out of an education. NCLB is only about which school gets the highest test scores so they can get more money. The school here has axed arts and music programs so they can only focus on math and science to raise the test scores. I think it's bull too.

Answer 6

NCLB makes me teach to a test when I know that inquiry is best.

I wish the government would trust us teachers to teach the students the way that suits them the best. Every student needs to be addressed with his/her own learning style and needs and those cannot always be assessed by a simple test. Teachers are highly trained professionals and experience to know how to reach every child in the classroom.

Answer 7

As a person who experienced this concept long before it was labeled, I vote 'no' on it.
It just meant that teachers and instructors took more time to side with the States view of the school ratherthan allowing a kid who flunked a grade (or two) to be given the special attention needed in remedial school courses, they chose the politics of the schools State ratings--*yuck*

Answer 8

I think it is OK, but feel our society has forgotten that certain children cannot do that well academically and thus they will work with their hands. As long as they make an honest living, why not? I think test scores have improved, but I think there is too much pressure on young people who try their best and simply cannot meet certain academic standards.

Answer 9

It has some good things and some bad things.. and some things that confuse the hell out of everybody involved.

And let's be frank.. some kids SHOULD be left behind. If they can't handle the coursework for their current grade, they sure as hell can't handle what's coming in the next grade.

Answer 10

The test scores have improved. But they ended up cutting PE.