Measuring the child not left behind

The American Thinker ^ | Nov. 20, 2004 | Gerald Dudley

[Kitten Festival]

Our competitive American nature makes it difficult to be out of first place in the world for long. But that’s where we have been in education and we’re doing something about it legislatively. One of the hallmarks of the new national “No Child Left Behind” legislation, written to improve education, is the measurement of student academic achievement.

To fulfill this new mandate every State developed rigorous achievement standards and enlisted professional testing companies to prepare subject matter test questions. These tests purport to measure current status and learning growth that validates the States’ standards. Every student at specific grade levels is expected to complete these “standardized tests”.

[Kitten Festival]

An intelligent look at education and the wisdom of President Bush's inevitably successful education program.

[SauronOfMordor]

The net effect of "No Child" is that disproportionate resources will be devoted to the under-achievers to bring them to minimal levels, and the smart kids will be ignored

If the US is to regain its economic position, the priorities need to be reversed

[valkyrieanne]

NCLB is attempting to repeal the rules of biology. Under NCLB, any school that has an identifiable subgroup or minority of students that don't do well is ultimately defined as a "failing school." Examples of such subgroups are racial categories, and *special education students.* IOW, special education students who are mentally retarded and way behind grade level are still expected to score as "proficient" on these tests. Even if they can barely hold a pencil, much less write.

While the Dept. of Education has decided to loosen NCLB rules on non-English-speakers, it to my knowledge has done *nothing* about mentally handicapped students.

[valkyrieanne]

That is exactly what is happening with NCLB. The Wall Street Journal (NOT a liberal paper) has written about it twice this year. Gifted programs ARE being gutted to pay for NCLB compliance for underperforming kids.

The new secretary of education has announced that NCLB testing will be extended to high schools. Watch the proverbial spit hit the fan when suburban parents watch their schools' AP and honors classes get cut back to focus on state test prep. There will be state money diverted for tutoring at Sylvan ($100 an hour), but I can assure you not a dime will go to SAT test preparation - which is the test for high schoolers that *really* counts.