Re: FairTest react to misleading ETS spin on its NCLB Poll

[aburke5054@aol.com]

 The truth is that the public overall does not know a great deal about NCLB, so opinions are going to vary somewhat according to the way questions are presented.? Monty is going to call anything less than the hyperbolic distortions of NCLB that FairTest puts out "one-sided."? I thought the summary in the poll was a reasonable one.? It's interesting that a majority of parents who know more about iNCLB view it favorably and that a majority of the public, public school teachers, and public school administrators do not want states to be able to opt out of NCLB's provisions for standards and accountability.? Finally, while it's true that lots of people may support reauthorizing NCLB with changes (Americans don't know a lot about it, but they want to change it - got to love 'em), there is no sign in the data that Americans favor the kind of gutting of NCLB that FairTest favors and in fact there are some suggestions that they would be against it.

Art


 

-----Original Message-----
From: Monty Neill <monty@fairtest.org>
To: rethinkaccountdc <rethinkaccountdc@yahoogroups.com>; ndsgroup@yahoogroups.com; RScriticalteach <RScriticalteach@lists.execpc.com>; care@yahoogroups.com; ARN-state@yahoogroups.com; ARN-L <arn-l@interversity.org>; arn2-strategy <arn2-strategy@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tue, 19 Jun 2007 10:33 am
Subject: [arn-l] FairTest react to misleading ETS spin on its NCLB Poll 










FairTest                                  
National Center for Fair & Open Testing

                                                                                            
for further information:  
                                                                                            
Dr. Monty Neill     (617) 864-4810 
                                                                                            
Bob Schaeffer     (239) 395-6773 

NEW POLL SHOWS AMERICANS SUPPORT COMPREHENSIVE NCLB OVERHAUL:
REACTION OF NATIONAL CENTER FOR FAIR & OPEN TESTING TO ETS SURVEY 
Despite a misleading "spin" by a company that earns more than three-quarters of 
a billion dollars each year by selling standardized exams, the data in a new 
Educational Testing Service (ETS) poll are consistent with other public opinion 
surveys:  a majority of Americans support a comprehensive overhaul of the 
controversial "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) law. This is precisely the position 
advocated by FairTest along with 135 other national education, civil rights, 
religious, civic, disability, and labor groups who have signed the Joint 
Organizational Statement on NCLB. 


In fact, according to the ETS poll, a majority of the public has an 
"unfavorable" view of NCLB, a negative opinion that has increased over the past 
three years. Only when those polled are given a one-sided summary of the law, 
which ignores its negative impacts, does sentiment swing to supporting it. Even 
then, more than half of the respondents agree that NCLB requires "major changes" 
or "should not be reauthorized."

Criticism of NCLB is even stronger among those on the front line of education, 
who must deal with the law's impacts on a daily basis. Less than one fifth of 
public school teachers support reauthorizing NCLB without major changes. 

The public, parents and school teachers agree that NCLB's focus on testing 
narrows curriculum and distorts educational priorities. They also criticize the 
law's one-size-fits-all punitive sanctions and support, instead, additional 
funds and assistance for schools that fall short. Overwhelming majorities oppose 
NCLB's requirements for state takeovers or firing teachers at low-performing 
schools.

The Joint Statement and the recommendations for implementing its principles by 
the Forum on Educational Accountability offer Congress guidance on how to 
implement the comprehensive overhaul of NCLB which the public clearly desires. 
- - 3 0 - -

The Joint Statement on NCLB, a list of its signers, and proposals from the Forum 
on Educational Accountability are posted at http://www.fairtest.org/FEA_Home.html 

  
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