The NCLB Act is indeed an awful piece of legislation. My son is perfectly capable of self care, however, he is below grade level in math and reading. The school told him that he would have to take the Federal mandated test for 3rd grade, even though he had never been introduced to most of the material. Do you have any idea what that does to a child?!!! My son came home after the first day of testing, and said "Mom, I got all of the questions wrong. Please don't make me take it again." Needless to say, he was being homeschooled the next day.
The NCLB act is organized so that schools will fail. If a school fails two or three years in a row, the federal govn takes over the school. They fire the adminstrators of the school, and most of the teachers, and place their own people in. It really stinks to high heaven. Accountability?!! What a laugh. They have just discovered a way to federalize schools. Make all the kids, even those that are incapable take the standards test, and if the score isn't up to par, the locals lose control. You should study the act. It is no less than horrifying. And it was Bush that put his little John Henry on that line.
The NEA is a side issue. Don't get distracted, get the facts.
I see that happen all the time. Your son wasn't low enough to be in the exemptions. It's not fair to anyone.
I agree. It is terribly frustrating for kids who just do not have the mental ability to take tests at their grade level.
It is amazing, however, to see what some children can accomplish even with their learning handicaps. It is a joy to see a child's eyes light up when they first see they can read a little or even recognize a letter of the alphabet.
I do not begrudge spending tax dollars to help these children. I DO begrudge spending tax dollars to support top heavy administrative staff who have nothing to do with teaching as well as the NEA itself. People need to differentiate between the NEA and the teachers. They are not the same thing.
I know many good and effective teachers who are doing the best they can in spite of the school administrative idiots who block good teaching at every turn.
We still need to remember that all the new teachers come out of teaching programs at universities that are staffed with died in the wool liberal educators. It is no wonder that we get so many liberals in the teaching professions.
Does your son have a disability?
Do you think that they will close the schools and put in vouchers instead?
Does your child have an IEP? We were specifically asked if we wanted her to be tested or if we wanted her exempt.
The IEP team all agreed that she should be tested since she is doing well in school.