What Arne Duncan Thinks of No Child Left Behind

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What all of this evaluation is based on are the standardized tests the students are required to take each year. The tests do not count for anything for the students (and they know it) and therefore they do not try his or her hardest. They are tested for an entire week, three to four hours per day, which also reduces their motivation to do well. Further, the tests do not measure the most important attributes of a "good education": adaptability and problem solving. Any teacher worth their salt should be focused on these skills not on test achievement.

Michael Kaul of CA 1:33PM August 08, 2011

I have heard it said before it is better to remain silent and be perceived as ignorant, rather than to speak and prove that you are.
One thing that scares me is to read posts from teachers where words are misspelled, incorrect capitalization, and incorrect punctuation.

Charles Proffer, M.Ed. of TX 8:30AM August 08, 2011

Throwing money at education is the solution for which there is no problem. Imagine a little one room schoolhouse with a barefoot Abe Lincoln holding a
slate. Fast forward to him writing some of the most inspiring prose ever penned.
He did this without the aid of No Child Left Behind because he didn't need his behind kissed every five minutes in order to "self-actualize" or garner "self esteem" - two of the most dangerous notions in education today. Education is a two-way street. If American youth choose to opt out of the process of acquiring marketable skills, so be it. Get out of the way of kids who aspire. Stop touting college as the only ideal in America. How many folks do you know who are working in a field allied to their college majors? What does one do with a degree in flute or German literature?
The two gravest concerns in this country are a crumbling infrastructure and outrageous medical costs. Its a mystery to me why taxpayer $$$ are used to fund majors that have questionable benefit to the average Joe while we artificially limit the number of doctors, P.A., nurse practitioners, chemists etc. that we graduate from tapayer supported colleges and universities. Refocus our schools to meet the prevailing needs of the era. Turn our colleges and universities into doctor-making machines: How do you justify denying admission to kids with perfect grades who are capable of completing the curriculum? Make it AFFORDABLE. I'd would be willing to pay higher taxes if I knew that my money was earmarked for medical personnel. Let the fine arts become the baliwick of private institutions at this point in time. Not perfect, just better.
The needs of our crumbling infrastructure can be addressed in high school and at community colleges. Teach construction trades. Only in America do we applaud a graduate who has just spent $150,000 of his parents hard earned money for a degree in folk dance. No.
In addition, those who opt out of acquiring a marketable skill by dropping out should have no access to entitlement money: nobody is entitled to drive working people into early graves.
Stop chasing after kids who don't give a rat's patoot about school. Stop wringing your hands and throwing money at the problem. Respect the choices they make, even if bears no resemblance to those you make. If you wish to be poor in America, so be it.

Sally Hanson of CA 4:46PM June 19, 2011

vvChancellor Rhee: It is my pleasure to send to a fellow rebel in the education field this e-mail which hopefully will show you a way out of the chaos in education that all of us are experiencing. Prior to my retirement I noticed many of my teaching friends having problems getting their students to pass State mandated tests that lead to graduation. I was always successful in my field of teaching bands and orchestras and bringing home every year straight I's or superiors for the students. I decided then to get involved and defeat these so-called difficult tests.
My first 20 some years of teaching were spent ignoring most principal's directions for how and what to teach because I always planned everything that I did for the students best interests and most of the time the Principals left me alone because my music groups and the individuals in them were always the best in the State. I figured that if I could develop the best students in music then I would like to apply that same principle to everyone in the school concerning their reading and math scores.
My new journey took me back to college(60 credits) for retraining in the reading and math areas. Following this I started compiling my own research by studying State tests and National S.A.T. tests for entering college. I evaluated every student that I taught reading and math to and followed them through the testing process. Finally, after 5 -6 years I noted that all of my students could pass these State tests if they reached a certain level in the book(MRGO) that I had just written. Not only does MRGO give every student success but it also will propel all students to be the best in the World.
I am now retired and frankly very offended to hear that our students can't learn. My MRGO book if used correctly will:
A. Give teachers and administrators all of the tools that they need to reach EVERY student.
B. Give principals, teachers,students and parents a daily record of which grade level the student is functioning at at all times.
C. All planning material for the teachers is in the book.
D. Parents will love the simplicity of this book because they can very easily help their child with homework.
E. Change any negative attitudes that students might have about learning and produce a positive attitude towards all of their school work.
One highlight of my book is the grade chart that pretty accurately tells the grade level of the student at all times. Also, most of the vocabulary that was used in my book was drawn from past SAT and State tests and also many of the different sounds produced by different letter combinations.
It would be my greatest pleasure to work with a fellow rebel in the field of education such as yourself. All of my ideas came from common sense and experience and not from behind the desk professors.
If you are interested I am enclosing a letter that I sent to Mr. Gregory(Meet the Press) which will further explain my ideas.
It has been my great p

clair christy of FL 8:55AM September 28, 2010

DEAR SIR:
I would like to call your attention to the fact that the teachers are always blamed for the children not learning.
Having teachers in family, they are abused with vulgar language
daily, in danger physically and threatened. The parents do not
teach anything at home anymore. The children roam the streets
at night (too tired to stay awake in class). The children are
on all kinds of medication(drugs included). How can they learn
or pay attention in class when their parents are not parents.
You can give them the answers to the test and they still fail.
WHY - BECAUSE THEY DON'T CARE, THEY ARE GOING TO LIVE LIKE THEIR
PARENTS (RECEIVING GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE). YOUR TOP
EDUCATORS ARE OUT OF TOUCH IN SEEING THE TRUE PROBLEM. YOU DON'T NEED A FANCY CLASSROOM TO LEARN, BUT YOU MUST BE AWAKE AND
NOT PLAYING ON CELL PHONES. TEACHERS HAVE BECOME BABYSITTERS,
DIFFICULT TO TEACH WHEN YOU ARE COLLECTING CELL PHONES, TELLING
THE MEDICATED KIDS TO SIT DOWN AND BE QUIET, WAKING UP THE KIDS
WHOSE HEADS ARE ON THE DESKS ASLEEP. COME TO THE REAL WORLD OF TEACHERS (MANY WHO WOULD LIKE TO QUIT). MORE MONEY, NICER CLASSROOMS IS NOT GOING TO DO IT (THE KIDS DESTROY IT ALL). KEEP THE PARENTS RESPONSBILE AND THE LAWYERS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM AND YOU WILL GET US BACK ON COURSE. IN MY DAYS YOU WOULD NEVER TALK TO A TEACHER DISRESPECTFULLY AND FACING YOUR PARENTS WOULD BE WORSE. NOW ALL THE PARENTS WANT TO DO IS SUE, IF YOU TELL THEM THEIR CHILD IS FAILING. CHILDREN ARE PUT IN CLASSES (SCIENCE) WITH NO MATH BACKGROUND - WHY -- FOR SELF-ESTEEM (JOKE). IT HAS GONE COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL. THESE KIDS CAN THROW THINGS AT TEACHERS, YELL, SPIT,USE THE "F" WORD AND BE BACK IN CLASS TOMORROW, BECAUSE THE DISTRICT WANTS THE MONEY AND IT MIGHT MAKE YOU UPPER EDUCATORS LOOK BAD. NOTHING
WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEMS UNTIL YOU MAKE PARENTS MORE RESPONSIBLE.

IRENE JOHNSON of CA 3:00PM September 24, 2010

June 17, 2010
We are proceding on with the intent of the Landmark - Leave No Child Behind Reform Act without political persuasion. The focus is effective delivery of services in education by review,restructure,implementation for maximum student learning.

Dorothy Corry Jennings of GA 1:13PM June 18, 2010

June 17, 2010
We are proceding on with the intent of the Landmark - Leave No Child Behind Reform Act without political persuasion. The focus is effective delivery of services in education by review,restructure,implementation for maximum student learning.

Dorothy Corry Jennings of GA 1:00PM June 18, 2010

This program is appalling! Tests are being made up without any input from teachers and are way off base. In the 2009 Biology and Earth Science tests in Virginia, alot of the questions asked were not covered in the classroom and were not in the textbooks. Also these tests will not be released as they have been previously. Questions on the GPS were given that are not in the Earth Science textbooks. Also, the level of terminology (not subject ternimology) is above that of many students. If you get students that are weak in reading, there isn't much time to bridge this gap and teach the subject areas too. Compound this with the fact that in socio-economically depressed areas, there is little respect for authority or education, this compounds the problem. When I asked a state official about these problems in 1999 at a covention in Roanoke, VA, she said that they didn't care. Standards had to be met anyway. The result is what happened in Petersburg, VA, Atlanta, GA, Texas, and other areas. Educators are sick of this! To close the public schools and put up charter schools discriminates against those kids that have a dream but are not in a socio-economic situation to make their dream come true.

R. Bradley of VA 11:17AM April 18, 2010

Tired of failing tests and being held back because of your grades solely? Well, that’s what the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law is supposed to prevent. “The NCLB is an act to close the achievement gap with accountability, flexibility, and choice, so that no child is left behind.” (Wikipedia). I think the NCLB act is a step in the right direction for the U.S.
President Obama’s reason for the revising of the NCLB is to change the student efficiency in reading and math. The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors Association (NGA) have created a set of academic standards for US students. President Obama wishes to include student performance as part of overall growth.
With the NCLB revision evaluations of schools would change. Schools would be less disciplinary and give more rewards. Rewards may consist of financial rewards for the staff and students. “The schools and districts that are successful in reaching performance targets will be recognized”.
More federal funding would be switched from provisions to competitive grants”. “The new system would build on the Obama administration’s Race to the Top program, which has offered stimulus money to states that both apply for the education funds in a competition and demonstrate a reform-oriented approach”. Also, schools that miss certain targets would not be required to provide students with tutoring or with the option to transfer.
I think the revision of the NCLB act is a good idea so schools don’t focus solely on test scores instead of one’s individual growth. It also gives kids more of an opportunity to go to college and get a degree. It is also a good thing because it helps kids get a job. I think we should all try to get this act made into law.

Kaela Williams of AL 9:59AM March 31, 2010

instructor. She was given 10 days suspension,by the principal, then the principal added that my granddaughter she could not return to school until the beginning of school in the fall. The young lady so frustrated has since applied to "job Corp" and to a community state college for a GED.

dorothy johnson of NC 3:18PM March 27, 2010