Deterioration of Education with “No Child Left Behind”
Running head: Deterioration of Education
Deterioration of Education with “No Child Left Behind”
Diane Congleton
Kaplan University
CM220-13
Professor Dorothy Hoerr, M.A.
January 17, 2009
“No Child Left Behind”: Educating the Children On January 8th, 2002, the no child left behind (NCLB) act was signed into law. The NCLB was pushed through, by the Bush Administration, to help all children make it through school no matter what. The "No Child Left Behind," law assumes that all children learn at the same pace and in the same way. Does this help the children it was meant to or are we just hurting them? We should be listening to what the teachers say about this act, for they are the individuals that can see first hand the effects this act has had on our children. Changes must be made for the sake of the children and their futures.
When the NCLB first came about the intentions were great. According to the United Stated Department of education the NCLB was to be “based on stronger accountability for results, more freedom for states and communities, proven education methods, and more choices for parents” (2004). As a result of the NCLB every student enrolled in a public school is required to take an annual standardized test from third through eighth grade, and once in high school. Students are then broken up in to specific groups, such as "African-American" and "economically disadvantaged." As researched on the NEA (National Education Association) website, each group (including special education students) now must have a passing rate of 95 percent and by 2014 that percentage should increase to 100 percent. NCLB therefore, forces the teachers to lower and/or alter their primary educational goals by enforcing standardized tests which must be reported to measure their AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress). If schools do not meet the requirements, then the school is put on the "needs improvement" list and the district gives students the option of transferring to a
Deterioration of Education with “No Child Left Behind”
Diane Congleton
Kaplan University
CM220-13
Professor Dorothy Hoerr, M.A.
January 17, 2009
“No Child Left Behind”: Educating the Children On January 8th, 2002, the no child left behind (NCLB) act was signed into law. The NCLB was pushed through, by the Bush Administration, to help all children make it through school no matter what. The "No Child Left Behind," law assumes that all children learn at the same pace and in the same way. Does this help the children it was meant to or are we just hurting them? We should be listening to what the teachers say about this act, for they are the individuals that can see first hand the effects this act has had on our children. Changes must be made for the sake of the children and their futures.
When the NCLB first came about the intentions were great. According to the United Stated Department of education the NCLB was to be “based on stronger accountability for results, more freedom for states and communities, proven education methods, and more choices for parents” (2004). As a result of the NCLB every student enrolled in a public school is required to take an annual standardized test from third through eighth grade, and once in high school. Students are then broken up in to specific groups, such as "African-American" and "economically disadvantaged." As researched on the NEA (National Education Association) website, each group (including special education students) now must have a passing rate of 95 percent and by 2014 that percentage should increase to 100 percent. NCLB therefore, forces the teachers to lower and/or alter their primary educational goals by enforcing standardized tests which must be reported to measure their AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress). If schools do not meet the requirements, then the school is put on the "needs improvement" list and the district gives students the option of transferring to a
References: Beaver, William (2004).Can "no child left behind" work?. American Secondary Education. 32, 3-18. Lehrer, J. (2007). Effectiveness of No Child Left Behind Debated [Electronic Version]. Online NewsHour. Retrieved November 24, 2007 http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/education/jan-june07/nclb_04-03.html NEA: No Child Left Behind - ESEA - NEA Position. Retrieved December 01, 2008, from NEA: National Education Association http://www.nea.org/esea/index.html No Child Left Behind. (2007). Retrieved December 1,2008, from http://www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml?src=ln U.S. Department of Education:No Child Left Behind. (n.d.) Retrieved December 15, 2008, http://www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml?src=pb