No Child Left Behind - Don't amend it - END IT!
It is becoming quite apparent that the burdens placed on our public school system by the No Child Left Behind program are not worth the money we get from the federal government.
The program is not fixable. Well intended? Sure. So was my mom's attempt at a tuna and cashew casserole back in 1972 - but we have not seen another since! Really, one bad one in my 41 years is a pretty good record...
There comes a point where you sell a losing stock, replace a truck that costs more in repairs than a new one costs brand new and fire a football coach that is just not winning.
We're there! This is becoming the Donner party of public policy.
Don't amend it - END IT!
Your thoughts?
The program is not fixable. Well intended? Sure. So was my mom's attempt at a tuna and cashew casserole back in 1972 - but we have not seen another since! Really, one bad one in my 41 years is a pretty good record...
There comes a point where you sell a losing stock, replace a truck that costs more in repairs than a new one costs brand new and fire a football coach that is just not winning.
We're there! This is becoming the Donner party of public policy.
Don't amend it - END IT!
Your thoughts?
posted by Chris Saxman at
10:02 AM
9 Comments:
Just wait to see what will happen in 6 years when public schools will be required to have 100% pass rate and 100% graduation rate...
By
Kevin, at 1/05/2007 11:12 AM
What will happen is that standards will be lowered.
By
Chris Saxman, at 1/05/2007 11:30 AM
Thank you!!! I feel as if I've been yelling in the dark. I've posted on this subject at Good Sense. The growth in the Department of Educaiton is staggering. Thanks for the great post!!!
By
Charlie Fugate, at 1/05/2007 12:43 PM
Chris, did you support "No Child Left Behind" when President Bush campaigned on it and signed it into law?
By
Megan, at 1/07/2007 9:03 AM
Myron,
I was never wild about another layer of accountability on the schools after we had just implemented the SOLs here in Virginia. I can't recall if I said anything against it publicly when it was begin developed. Since it became law, I have worked with my colleagues to get Virginia some waivers.
Regardless, when wrongs turns are taken in the road the best decision is to turn around.
By
Chris Saxman, at 1/07/2007 9:14 AM
Just making sure...
By
Megan, at 1/08/2007 3:26 PM
I guess that is why you co-sponsored Joint House Resolution 192?
It is too bad you didn't speak out on the issue before it became law?
What was/is your opinion of President Bush's MASSIVE entitlement to seniors in the form of the prescription drug benefit?
By
Megan, at 1/08/2007 5:45 PM
I'm a supporter of NCLB.
There are issues but there is nothing that comprehensively measures ALL the kids achievement.
Without NCLB - we'd never know that even schools that pass the SOLs have substantial numbers of kids who do not pass and do not graduate.
Without NCLB, we have little real accountability for cost-effective expenditures of tax dollars for education.
The title of this Blog - says it all. We want tax dollars to be spent wisely.
You cannot cut costs intelligently until you know which programs "work" and which ones do "not".
NCLB tells us which of our schools are "working".
No - we'll never pass 100% but when we have 85% of white kids passing and 70% of blacks and economically disadvantaged... we need to find out why and work on it.
The typical responses of "its the parents fault" .. or "some kids are bad to the bone" don't cut it in terms of overall demographics but more important than that - Just from a selfish point of view..
every kid who does not pass or barely passes without a good education becomes an adult that we support with taxes to pay for their shelter, their food and their health care - and that's the one's that somehow stay out of trouble with the law.
It is in everyone's interest both financially and morally - to use an NCLB process. If we don't like NCLB, then find another process that works better...
but dumping NCLB to replace it with nothing.. is not much smarter than some of the kids that don't make it.
By
Larry G, at 1/12/2007 4:57 PM
NCLB..the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
The Good
Forces schools to pass their tests both overall and by subgroup. Schools can't become "effective" through careful boundary drawing.
The Bad
Unrealistic pass rates. The idea that a school division is responsible for making children who just arrived in VA (or the US) pass the tests before they have been properly instructed results in manipulation of the system. You can still leave 'em behind but you have to hide 'em first.
The Ugly
That the Feds, who provide only 10% of the money, can set the agenda for all the states and localities in the country is just plain UGLY.
By
GOP4PWC, at 4/02/2007 6:22 PM
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