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(Feb. 1) -- Less than a week after President Barack Obama said a "world-class education" is "one of best anti-poverty programs," his administration is gearing up to propose major changes to the controversial No Child Left Behind law.
In a move guaranteed to attract more controversy, the Obama administration wants to overhaul President George W. Bush's signature education law to change the way it measures school performance and awards funding. The law could get a boost from the 2011 budget Obama released Monday, which calls for an increase of more than 6 percent in education spending.
A look at how the legislation could change:
Eliminate 2014 Deadline for Academic Proficiency
No Child Left Behind currently mandates that 100 percent of students in every school be proficient in math and reading by 2014, which Education Secretary Arne Duncan called a "utopian goal" last year. The Obama administration wants to nix the deadline and instead focus on making sure all students who graduate from public schools are ""college- or career-ready," The Times reports.
The 2014 deadline was widely criticized by states as difficult, if not impossible, to meet, especially in the face of budget cuts in recent years. In 2007, for example, Robert L. Linn, co-director of the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing at UCLA, told The Washington Post that "there is a zero percent chance that we will ever reach a 100 percent target."
A New Funding Formula
Currently, schools are awarded funding based on the number of students they serve and the proportion of the student body that is considered low income. Though Duncan offered scant details, it's clear the administration wants to begin funding schools based on academic progress instead. This approach could anger teachers' unions but found an ally in the National Review's Chester E. Finn, who praised the administration for trying to "keep a 'competitive' element in this, rather than simply distributing dollars via formula."
Changing How Success Is Measured
Under No Child Left Behind, schools are rated based on "adequate yearly progress" measured in test scores, a practice that some teaching organizations say is unfair to underfunded school districts. The administration is expected to ask Congress to drop that metric and instead have "performance based on judging schools in a more nuanced way," Bruce Hunter, director of public policy for the American Association of School Administrators, told The New York Times.
More Money
Even supporters of No Child Left Behind have criticized the program because it has been chronically underfunded over the years. In his new budget proposal Monday, Obama asked for an increase in funding to the federal Department of Education of more than 6 percent. This increase is meant, he said, to "inspire students to excel in math and science, and turn around failing schools which consign too many young people to a lesser future."
i think it's a load of shit that's never going to come close to happening.
i further believe that after the administration gets its PR bounce for proposing it, it will sink like a stone, never to be heard of again, until the next election cycle.
of course, i'm an optimist.
Oh politics.
Reading proficiency is more important than high level math. Some kids will never be able to read however. The point is we should keep striving to give kids the best we can up to age 16. Many are not reaching their potential. After 16 I think it's okay to take a break from education. Formal education is not the best path for all.Obama's Overhaul of 'No Child' Law Creates High Anxiety, High Hopes - AOL News
(Feb. 1) -- Less than a week after President Barack Obama said a "world-class education" is "one of best anti-poverty programs," his administration is gearing up to propose major changes to the controversial No Child Left Behind law.
In a move guaranteed to attract more controversy, the Obama administration wants to overhaul President George W. Bush's signature education law to change the way it measures school performance and awards funding. The law could get a boost from the 2011 budget Obama released Monday, which calls for an increase of more than 6 percent in education spending.A look at how the legislation could change:
Eliminate 2014 Deadline for Academic Proficiency
No Child Left Behind currently mandates that 100 percent of students in every school be proficient in math and reading by 2014, which Education Secretary Arne Duncan called a "utopian goal" last year. The Obama administration wants to nix the deadline and instead focus on making sure all students who graduate from public schools are ""college- or career-ready," The Times reports.
Changing How Success Is Measured
Under No Child Left Behind, schools are rated based on "adequate yearly progress" measured in test scores, a practice that some teaching organizations say is unfair to underfunded school districts. The administration is expected to ask Congress to drop that metric and instead have "performance based on judging schools in a more nuanced way," Bruce Hunter, director of public policy for the American Association of School Administrators, told The New York Times.Sounds good to me. I know we have several teachers on here too. So what say you USMB?More Money
Even supporters of No Child Left Behind have criticized the program because it has been chronically underfunded over the years. In his new budget proposal Monday, Obama asked for an increase in funding to the federal Department of Education of more than 6 percent. This increase is meant, he said, to "inspire students to excel in math and science, and turn around failing schools which consign too many young people to a lesser future."
All kids can learn to read unless they are severely cognitively impaired.
NCLB is absolutely "utopian" but I have little faith that an overhaul will have much impact. You cannot reform education without the support of parents and the local community. The Federal govt seems to ignore that.
I don't see how they will be able to shortchange low performing schools. We all know where they are for the most part. And of course its not just "bad teacher" responsible for that, although it must be hard to get decent people to work in a war zone.
I've often wondered about that too.Some of the students that are able to read aloud nearly flawlessly, are those that least understand the meaning of words, much less the theme of what they are reading. Unsurprisingly those are often the best at spelling too. Go figure. The brain is interesting indeed.
All kids can learn to read unless they are severely cognitively impaired.
NCLB is absolutely "utopian" but I have little faith that an overhaul will have much impact. You cannot reform education without the support of parents and the local community. The Federal govt seems to ignore that.
I don't see how they will be able to shortchange low performing schools. We all know where they are for the most part. And of course its not just "bad teacher" responsible for that, although it must be hard to get decent people to work in a war zone.
I agree that most kids with IQ's above 70-75 may learn to 'read,' however comprehending and applying are different than reading. Some of the students that are able to read aloud nearly flawlessly, are those that least understand the meaning of words, much less the theme of what they are reading. Unsurprisingly those are often the best at spelling too. Go figure. The brain is interesting indeed.
All kids can learn to read unless they are severely cognitively impaired.
NCLB is absolutely "utopian" but I have little faith that an overhaul will have much impact. You cannot reform education without the support of parents and the local community. The Federal govt seems to ignore that.
I don't see how they will be able to shortchange low performing schools. We all know where they are for the most part. And of course its not just "bad teacher" responsible for that, although it must be hard to get decent people to work in a war zone.
God Bless EZ I couldn't do it I work in a very "diverse" high school but would hardly consider it a war zone. Nonetheless our county has been ranked #1 in sustance abuse and #1 in child abuse. We can only deal with it. No amount of education dollars will fix it.
So true Annie. And of course there are always exceptions but...
Many of the PARENTS are substance abusers. That's why I get so incensed when people on here start talking about the legalization of drugs and how it is a "victimless" crime. I don't care how much dope you want to smoke. I don't care if you sit on your ass all winter collecting unemployment. JUST DON'T BREED!!!!!
Substance abuse = child abuse, learning disabilities, poverty, crime, risky sexual behavior, teen pregnancy.... and the cycle continues.
Hmmm. I wonder if "Race to the Top" has any $$$$ to address that. I think not.
No Child Left Behind has it's good points and it's bad points.
The bad {from my pov} is expecting children with IQ's from 53 to in the 70's to pass the State Standardized Test every year. Instead of letting that child take a test in their ability level, they have to take it on the grade level they are in. So (in my case) I have third and fourth graders taking tests that most can't even read, since most are on a first grade reading level. Progress IS being made with them, but they are not on grade level, and some will never be. Yet they are expected to pass these tests, and if not the school gets punished? Not fair, so yes, some change in NCLB is welcome.
(And no, I don't belong to a teacher's union)
