No Child Left Behind - opinions?

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

I am a special educator also. I do like the fact that are students are now included in many ways that they weren't previously. Also, I believe in having high expectations for students. Having said that, our district is trying to get students with IQ's between 55-69 to pass the testing! I guess people don't understand what global delays really mean. Sometimes, no matter how good a teacher is, there will and should be some students with disabilities that will not be able to pass standardized testing. Isn't that what qualifies them for Special education to begin with?

I'm in Va too, and many of our students with IEPs do a VGLA instead of taking the test. Schools in Tidewater don't do that?

 

[mrs_hower726]

I don't know why it was passed to begin with. I had to do a study of this for one of my graduate classes and they did preliminary studies of this in New York, Chicago, and Dallas and there were minimal improvements in the overall achievement of students in the lower grades and no improvement at all once you reached 6th grade. Bush saw the results and still pushed it foward.

As others have mentioned, they expect those in special education to take the test and to pass. Also, they mandated this with no funding. The thing I dislike the most is that if the school district doesn't pass the test, then this act TAKES AWAY money from the school, rather than giving them the money to help provide resources such as teachers, supplies, etc.

I'll be really happy when this goes away.

 

[matthew&haleysmom]

I'm in Va too, and many of our students with IEPs do a VGLA instead of taking the test. Schools in Tidewater don't do that?

Last year, we had so many VGLA's. This year, teachers must be able to prove that the reason a student needs VGLA is due to difficulty with multiple choice, not grade level material. Teachers will need to demonstrate that students can do grade level standards on grade level, not below grade level. Many, many teachers did have their students working below grade level last year. Our sped teachers are being told that they MUST re-examine IEPs to determine if their students fir the criteria for VGLA. Teachers are panicking. They know their students are not working on grade level. What a fun year this will be!

 

[KNJ Mom]

Everyone seems to dislike NCLB intensely and they all seem to blame Bush. I agree that it isn't the greatest piece of legislation but everyone seems to forget that Ted Kennedy was the author of it. He is also the name being bandied about to author the Dems health care legislation. Imagine how well that will work out.

 

[sarasotamom]

Everyone seems to dislike NCLB intensely and they all seem to blame Bush. I agree that it isn't the greatest piece of legislation but everyone seems to forget that Ted Kennedy was the author of it. He is also the name being bandied about to author the Dems health care legislation. Imagine how well that will work out.

You are so right. President Bush reached across the isle to Kennedy on this bill. But everyone seems to blame the President for everything. Why don't they ever cosider blaming Congress?? spellingCan't wait for the healthcare progam Kennedy comes up with.

 

[Pigeon]

NCLB is the worst thing to happen to education in a long time. The emphasis on testing is insane and completely counterproductive. Sometimes I wonder when they find time to teach my kids because all they ever seem to do is test. It has sucked the joy right out of learning.

The state test are manipulated every year to make sure that the scores turn out the way that is politically expedient. In my state they are actually much, much easier now so that just about everyone can qualify for a Regents diploma. It's sad, because in the past, the diploma meant something.

There are so many factors in a child's ability to learn that are completely beyond the control of any teacher or any school.

I would love to see it scrapped entirely.

 

[JoiseyMom]

I hate it!! I have 2 older sons, that luckily didn't have to deal with it, but my 2 younger children are stuck. All their work (7th grade and 2nd grade currently) is based on passing those damn tests!! If the emphasis was on actual teaching, education and kids learning..it wouldn't be a problem. I have always hated the standarized tests and feel they don't really measure what a child knows or has learned. They measure how well a child can take a test!!

 

[joviroxx]

I'm not particularly a fan of NCLB, but the problem goes deeper than just this law. Since the inception of the Federal Education Department our schools have been in a steady decline.

So don't just get rid of a bad Law, get rid of a bad Federal Department. Send the education decisions back to the states where they belong.

 

[disney1990]

I think it a good concept. Some schools didn't carry it out correctly.

Schools didn't have the money to carry it out and the federal government provided no funding for it.

It should be voted out in my opinion.

 

[Aristomommy]

As a student, this was one of THE WORST educational decisions ever. We don't LEARN anymore, we practice for "the test". Here it's a PSSA. I think they're easy, but maaaaaany kids can't pass it.

Bottom line, we don't learn. We practice, practice, practice.

DD was in a school district that did what you describe. They were all about testing and DDs 3rd grade experience was miserable. We are now at another rated excellent school district and our experience is the opposite. While the school makes sure the students are ready for the test, it is not the only objective. I think the NCLB testing can be done without overdoing it. I blame the school, not NCLB for the execution.

 

[gmboy95]

I like the idea of NCLB- accountablity, standards and state oversight, but the execution hasn't worked. I can see some good and some bad in it.

The problem is unfunded mandates forcing schools to cut sports, music, art, as well as other enrichment programs that have inspired many kids, that they will now have no exposure to

 

[Aristomommy]

Schools didn't have the money to carry it out and the federal government provided no funding for it.

It should be voted out in my opinion.

Money has nothing to do with it. We have lived in two well funded "excellent" school districts. How the schools interpreted and carried out the NCLB was more important and there were clear differences. Some schools will struggle with funding with or without NCLB, reform needs to be made HOW schools are funded (property taxes) and that they receive equal funding regardless of zip code.

 

[djm99]

You are so right. President Bush reached across the isle to Kennedy on this bill. But everyone seems to blame the President for everything. Why don't they ever cosider blaming Congress?? spellingCan't wait for the healthcare progam Kennedy comes up with.

The legislation was co-Authored by Representatives John Boehner (R-OH) and George Miller(D-CA) and Senators Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA), and signed by President Bush.

 

[gmboy95]

The legislation was co-Authored by Representatives John Boehner (R-OH) and George Miller(D-CA) and Senators Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA), and signed by President Bush.

Yes...and since then the democratic senators have raled at the fact that the funding promised was not provided

 

[djm99]

Yes...and since then the democratic senators have raled at the fact that the funding promised was not provided

This is true - teachers agree

 

[mom2rb]

I'm in Texas, so I blame Bush. Bush was Governor here for six years and we have had high stakes testing for longer than anyone else. He campaigned on this platform. I remember being upset that instead of dropping it, it would expand to the rest of the country. Texas has the highest % of home schoolers, I do feel that having NCLB the longest is the reason.

 

[Goofyluver]

NCLB does NOTHING but leave children behind.

I've watched my son who is disabled cry over our state exams...which he is given on his grade level...even though he is functioning several years behind grade level.

I've given the test as a special educator to children who have no business taking grade level exams.

NCLB is the WORST thing that has come to our education system.

 

[EveDallas]

NCLB does NOTHING but leave children behind.

I've watched my son who is disabled cry over our state exams...which he is given on his grade level...even though he is functioning several years behind grade level.

I've given the test as a special educator to children who have no business taking grade level exams.

NCLB is the WORST thing that has come to our education system.

This is the exact experience I've had for years. Listening to your child tell you that he is too stupid to learn things kills something inside of you.

 

[matthew&haleysmom]

NCLB does NOTHING but leave children behind.

I've watched my son who is disabled cry over our state exams...which he is given on his grade level...even though he is functioning several years behind grade level.

I've given the test as a special educator to children who have no business taking grade level exams.

NCLB is the WORST thing that has come to our education system.

Isn't it sad that this happens all of the time. And to make it worse, administrators are expecting passing scores knowing how far the students are behind. I am surprised we have anyone willing to teach special education.

IMHO, people who create mandates that effect the special education population should at least spend some time in a variety of sped classrooms. If that were to happen, maybe be would get realistic mandates and full funding!

 

[Goofyluver]

This is the exact experience I've had for years. Listening to your child tell you that he is too stupid to learn things kills something inside of you.

It kills us and it kills them.

It's heart breaking.

This year...I have learned I can opt him out of the state exam.



It's sad really...that it has come to this.

Children with disabilities were never taken into account at the inception of NCLB. And these are the children who struggle the most. NCLB has increased that struggle.