Re: No Child Left Behind Needs Surgery

[aburke5054@aol.com]

 NCLB requires states to improve their schools -- particularly their schools that serve disadvantaged children, minority children, children with disabilities, and children from homes where English is not the first language -- until all children achieve at high levels. Nowhere does the author, a superintendent acknowledge this, which demonstrates more that we need bettersuperintendents than that we need changes in NCLB.    
 -----Original Message-----
 From: pgutpgut@msn.com
 To: arn-l@interversity.org; LiteracyForAll@yahoogroups.com
 Sent: Mon, 23 Oct 2006 9:01 AM
 Subject: [arn-l] No Child Left Behind Needs Surgery
 
  This appeared in The State, which is a local paper out of Spartanburg, South Carolina: 
 
 No Child Left Behind needs surgery 
 By JIM RAY 
 Guest columnist 
 
 No caring educator would argue against the goal of No Child Left Behind. Like many well-intended laws, however, a flawed implementation has compromised its intent. The law is under siege nationally and is foundering as the deadline for reauthorization nears. 
 
 If Congress reauthorizes it, minor surgery will not suffice. Sensible implementation timelines must be set. America waited more than 160 years to provide all children universal access to schooling. Requiring universal proficiency in 14 years is absurd — particularly if there is no uniformity in how this proficient performance is defined. 
 
 These unrealistic timelines have forced a blizzard of testing and test development. Students are being tested by instruments that have been poorly developed or erroneously scored. The law’s resulting sanctions have forced the hasty construction of school improvement plans that are either flawed or do not allow time to effect meaningful changes. 
 
 Congress can require a common definition of proficiency without national tests. States could use proficiency levels set with a reputable tool such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests. This change would short-circuit harmful responses by states trying to cope with the punitive implementation of No Child Left Behind. 
 
 The Congress must also direct the U.S. Department of Education to set reasonable achievement targets for Adequate Yearly Progress, which are based on the academic gains of students relative to their annual expected growth. Measuring the difference between where each student begins and ends in an academic year is a fair accountability procedure anyone should embrace. Failure to do so has already seriously damaged No Child Left Behind. 
 
 The Congress must also mandate that federal officials enforce the law’s positive testing mandates. Many states, including South Carolina, have ignored the act’s requirement of multiple testing measures which are diagnostically useful. Instead, these states are basing Adequate Yearly Progress evaluations and sanctions on a single test. This devastating mistake has caused excessive testing of reading and math; the subsequent narrowing of curriculum, teaching and staff training programs; a skewed focus on students who are near accountability targets at the expense of others; and the erosion of creative, relevant learning opportunities needed for youth to compete in a global economy. 
 
 Next, Congress must fund No Child Left Behind responsibly and include preschool education. Imposing unrealistic achievement targets and punitive sanctions on inadequately funded schools creates a cruel, impossible challenge. 
 
 Very few schools serving a majority of poor children will meet the same absolute achievement targets as schools with a majority of students from higher-income homes. These schools can least afford to lose resources, able students, quality teachers and middle-class parents to transfer options. Such sanctions only worsen the inequities that already make educational quality dependent on where a child is reared. 
 
 Schools with predominantly poor students also have a greater number of working parents and children ages 5 and younger who need, but lack access to, quality preschool programs. Despite evidence that these early years are crucial to child development, our federal and state governments have consistently underfunded this need. These schools also have higher numbers of children entering kindergarten with serious cognitive and language delays. Ignoring this reality in high-stakes accountability shows the worst side of a mindless, callous bureaucracy. 
 
 Lastly, Congress must amend the law to require punitive sanctions only when schools fail to improve despite adequate resources and assistance. Measuring annual academic growth will allow all schools an equal opportunity to experience success and recognition. Schools with a majority of high-risk students will be more likely to retain outstanding teachers and leaders who are motivated by their commitment to these children and the opportunity to demonstrate their talents. 
 
 Eliminating hasty sanctions will also limit wasteful spending on unproven interventions such as outside service providers, staff reconstitution and state takeover. It will also stem the loss of parental and community involvement which is essential for effective schooling. 
 
 No Child Left Behind’s sorry implementation has ill-served its worthy goal and placed it on life support. It must not survive without major surgery. 
 
 Mr. Ray is superintendent of Spartanburg District 3. 
 
 
 
 Priscilla Gutierrez 
 Outreach Specialist 
 New Mexico School for the Deaf 
 
 ....change is inevitable, growth is optional... 
 
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