The NCLB act requires all schools that receive federal funds to reach 100 percent passing rates for all student groups on state tests by the 2013-2014 school year. That is absurd. With the current progress schools and the education system is in right now, it does not seem that the goal is at all attainable. To have absolutely every single school, child, and teacher commit to the NCLB standards is impossible. There cannot be 100% anything and what happens when the students and schools do not reach that goal? The schools will lose funding and close, cause a new wave of problems. I think the government is not trying hard enough to come up with a plan that works. They are just rushing for results and giving a deadline to do something that isn’t even remotely possible. They need to set annual or even semi annual goals for the schools, not give them a period of time to achieve the 100% passing rate. The government is not working closely enough with the students to see why many children are failing, rather they just want to implement an act that will presumably get rid of all their problems. The NCLB act seems like an ultimatum for failing schools and students. There is no equal opportunity within the system because it is obvious that children with more funding and are in better neighborhoods are doing a lot better than those in poorer neighborhoods- and in the end, those are the students that will be suffering from failing grades and standardized testing. Another aspect that is flawed is that the NCLB act relies heavily on test scores. Test scores, as mentioned in class, is a great way to measure progress, but should not the only way. Test scores do not measure a child’s learning capacity nor does it measure a teacher’s teaching capacity.
Chapter 4 mentions that “the very definition of what constitutes as an educated person is now dictated by federal legislation. A well-educated person is one who scores high on standardized math and reading tests. And ergo a good school is one that either has very high test scores or is moving toward them at a prescribed rate of improvement” (67). It doesn’t strike me as alarming because it seems that everyone measures everyone else by their grades in school, on tests, and by numbers. Quantitative information seems to be more important than anything else nowadays and is what the government is relying on to see results. Rather than just reading off a bunch of statistics of failing grades, why don’t these officials go into the schools and directly ask the child or staff what is not working? and then maybe try to implement workshops or new programs to help the schools. But obviously, that is just wishful thinking. The government, like everyone else, will just favor those who have the high scores. One’s ability to take tests well may be from practice or it may be a gift, and for those who suck at it, well that’s just too bad.. right? The school system needs to innovate ways to make the failing students feel as if there is hope for them. Some teachers just treat the underperforming children badly because they don’t think its worth their time. When a child does bad, everyone wants to point fingers and no one wants to take responsibility, and that may very well be the reason why children are doing so terribly in school. So what kind of system should be created to ensure a well-rounded program to teach and educate children? The problem as we discussed, is not a matter of more or less funding, so why are so many children in poorer neighborhoods doing so bad?
