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May 14, 2008
First things first: Get NCLB's accountability right
An article in The Wall Street Journal remarked that NCLB hasn’t shown much bite. Board Buzz thinks the article has missed the point. It noted that most schools that are restructuring after missing AYP for several consecutive years have not used the more radical measures described in the law (including state takeover or replacing the entire staff, etc.) and how few of these schools did emerge from restructuring.
One reason why so few schools get out of the restructuring label is because state AYP bars increase over time, which means it gets more difficult for a school to make AYP (a school has to make AYP for two consecutive years to get out of the improvement status). The larger question that must be asked here is: how can you remedy a problem if you don’t have the correct diagnosis? If the system that judges school performance is innately flawed, should we be rushing to sanction these “failing” schools or should we be rushing to fix the system?
Until NCLB gets its diagnosis right, schools should not be forced to make radical changes that are disruptive to students and their learning environment, see NSBA’s recommendations here.
Posted May 14, 2008 2:31 PM |
No Child Left Behind
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