Don't Be Left Behind

You are being left behind.

Maybe you don’t see a problem with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002. Perhaps, you even see it as a positive thing for our country’s education system—higher standards, improved quality of teaching and learning. A chance to close the racial and income gaps in standardized test scores, and a chance for our country as a whole to strengthen itself by strengthening its future—the youth of America. In a 2002 speech to Hamilton High School, Ohio, about NCLB, President Bush stated the importance of ensuring that “every single child, regardless of where they live, how they're raised, the income level of their family, every child receives a first-class education in America”. I believe this is a goal towards which our country should strive, because to be educated is among the most valuable gifts in life—but we are being led in the wrong direction to achieve that. Not only is NCLB fundamentally unconstitutional (nowhere in the Constitution is education addressed as being under the power of the national government), but it is failing. The Bush campaign promised to leave no child behind. You and I are those children, and as students of America, we are all being left behind.

The idea of NCLB is essentially well-intentioned. Unfortunately, major design flaws and poor planning have caused it not only to be downright inefficient, but also to have a frighteningly negative impact on our education system. The four parts of NCLB are (1) stronger accountability, (2) increased choices for parents, (3) more local freedom, and (4) government grants for methods that are “scientifically proven” to work. While none of these aspects appear particularly harmful, they are leading to the decline of our education system.

What does it mean to enforce “stronger accountability” upon schools? Basically, schools must report “adequate yearly progress” (defined as “an individual state's measure of progress toward the goal of 100 percent of students achieving to state academic standards in at least reading/language arts and math”) to receive government funding. Schools failing to do so over a prolonged period of time risk their money, their students, and, eventually, control of their schools. For one thing, the government’s expectations are impossibly high, especially for a nation as far behind in education as ours. After one year, how many schools could have believably achieved “100 percent” in state standards? The answer to that is none. Driven by unattainable expectations, and accomplished by NCLB’s allowance of local freedom, a surprising percentage of schools nationwide are nonetheless living up to the government’s standards.

Instead of actually meeting the Department of Education’s demands, most states and schools have found alternative routes in order to “play the system”. The very use of the term “state standards” creates a wide loophole for states, most of which are lowering state standards considerably. In 2007, The Center on Education Standards declared overall achievement on state standardized tests; however, according to a recent report by the CATO Institute, there were so many “huge holes and inconsistencies in state data, the result of most states’ having altered their standards, tests, definitions of ‘proficiency’ and other achievement measures since NCLB was passed”, that there was only useable data from 13 states. In addition, CATO revealed that compared to national testing standards, states have lowered their level of “proficiency” to that of the nation’s “basic”—or lower.

No Child Left Behind is not working. I have only about 8 months left before none of these laws will again affect my education. But they have affected both yours and mine previously—and they might affect yours again. They might affect your children’s. Your grandchildren’s. There are blatant displays of NCLB’s failing policies right here at South. The Department of Education is revising NCLB currently—but is that enough? The revised NLCB has some excellent features, such as more resources, and better training, for teachers; incentives vs. punishment for results; and more federally funded drug resistance programs.. But it also calls for more rigorous standards by 2010-2011, and to have every child at or above grade level by 2014 on both national and state testing. Is this realistic? Will it solve past problems created by NCLB, or simply create new ones? There are many who are calling for an altogether end to NCLB—arguing not only is education constitutionally a power reserved for the states, but that the national government cannot possibly regulate something as personal and individual as education.

I leave you with these final facts, and you tell me if you feel comfortable putting our education into the national government’s hands:

—NCLB only measures the successes of students in Math and Reading. Will a well-rounded education, including the vital fields of social studies and science, be sacrificed for this law?

—CATO: “Average achievement remains flat in reading and grows at the same pace in math as it did before NCLB was passed.”

—Though the income and racial gaps closed slightly following the passing of NCLB, “the progress was not sustained”. (CATO)

—According to the National Council of Teachers of English, 76% of English teachers under NCLB believe it’s had “at least a somewhat negative influence on teaching and learning in English/reading classrooms.”

I have not listed all the problems involved with NCLB. But it is enough, I feel, to prove that we, America’s future, are being left far behind.



><>Jesus Fish