Accountability Must Be Focus of Any No Child Left Behind Overhaul
Shortly after the law now called No Child Left Behind was first passed in 1965, a frustrated senator remarked, "I want to change this bill because it doesn't have any way of measuring those damned educators.... We really ought to have some evaluation in there, and some measurement as to whether any good is happening."
An anti-public-school activist? No. That was Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. Today, more than four decades later, we are essentially arguing about the same issues. How the coming debate over No Child Left Behind turns out will tell us if any progress has been made toward having real accountability for what should be one of America's most important engines of opportunity—our public schools.
Andrew J. Rotherham is cofounder and codirector of the think tank Education Sector and writes the blog Eduwonk.com. He is a member of the Virginia Board of Education.
Reader Comments
Being left behind
The saying goes poor and minority its my belief that this as it says. allows public schools to do just as they see fit... I live in a small town and I have a multi-handicapped 13yr old son the school where we are at, has all but showed my child to the door but only when they felt it was time they can twist laws and regulation to suit their selves when you are one of the many poor minoritys you have no way to fight back so they are allowed to leave whom ever they choose behind you are told one thing and served another .i would like to know just this hwo on this planet will stand of for ppl like this
trust no one
No hen houses should be guarded by the foxes. None - that goes for schools, businesses relying on government support of any kind (FDIC insurance, defense, etc.), and city hall. Let's face it; there is no such thing as self-regulation. It is a fantasy and a con.
Yea, is all the Republicans Fault
Authored by Representatives
John Boehner (R-OH)
George Miller(D-CA)
Senators Judd Gregg (R-NH)
Edward Kennedy (D-MA),
signed by President Bush.
Wake up!
Comments from a retire lobbyist friend -
"I'd go to breakfast with a Republicans and tell him how great and smart he is and offer office personnel to help him write the bills because he is so busy"
Then I'd go to Dinner with a Democrat and tell him how great and smart he is and offer office personnel to help him write the bills because he is so busy"
With the staff of both parties being paid by us helped to make sure that either way the bill would meet our needs"
That's how the system works, grow-up people.
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