Re: Mos U.S. Adults Want to Leave "No Child" Behind -- New National Poll

[Michael Peterson <jmpeterson@twmi.rr.com>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bob Schaeffer <bobschaeffer@earthlink.net>
> To: ARN Main List <arn-l@interversity.org>; arn2-strategy
> <arn2-strategy@yahoogroups.com>; rethinkaccountdc@yahoogroups.com
> I break my self-established rule in not responding to you Art.
> 
> Quite to the point of the survey, virtually anyone with concrete experience in
> schools that serve high concentration of low income children and / or children
> of color know that this law is devastating to them. Frankly, most high income
> schools could take off for a couple of years and still have kids pass these
> tests. This means that they really don¹t have to change much and can give kids
> rich experiences. On the other hand, people in schools serving high
> concentrations of children at risk are terrified of the repercussions. While
> we know the curriculum for these children has for a long time, been focussed
> on low level skills, memorizing facts rather than thinking, that is even more
> so now. In other words, while NCLB claims to be interested in improving
> schools for these children, the fact is that it does exactly the opposite.
> 
> Can¹t wait for the response.
> 
> Michael
> 
> 
>  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> I wonder if people would have a more favorable opinion of NCLB if they were
> told that it obligates states to improve their schools, particularly schools
> that serve large numbers of poor children, minority children, children with
> disabilities, and children learning English?? Does anyone outside of the
> spinmeisters at FairTest really think that most Americans want to leave those
> children behind or that they would not embrace the notion that states should
> establish reasonable learning goals, administer tests to measure children's
> progress towards those goals, and step in to do something in schools where
> lots of children are falling behind?
> 
> Art
>