No Child Left Behind Law Loses Support

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Quebec seems like heaven when compared to the destruction caused by NCLB. Rather than dumbing down the curriculum, cutting arts out of the program, it shoves arts down high school students' throats instead. Also, my homeland doesn't rely on standardized testing all that much; even then, some of the questions to standard tests actually require full-proof solutions. Plus NCLB should be repealed. And I see, from here, that there would be a few students going out of their way to request that they go study abroad, come college time, rather than to study at home.

Yvan Ung 9:12PM September 12, 2010

While Mr.Duncan's goal of overhauling our education system is laudable, he needs to take a reality check by stepping into the classroom. I am a 17 year veteran science teacher who has high expectations of my students and gives 110%, and dealiing with the behavior problems and low expectations that parents instill in their kids is challenging. These students sit in class, just marking time until they can drop out without truancy convictions, and do no assignments, just try to disrupt others. When teachers assign homework, 90% of the class doesn't do it, because parents don't insist on it. With regard to merit pay, how do you measure a teacher's success in this environment against teachers with honor students and AP classes?
Give us some ammunition, such as expulsion for kids who want to disrupt, monetary penalties for parents who do not support us when we call home about their kids sleeping in class, penalties for students who waste taxpayer money by taking classes 2 and 3 times, because they don't feel like trying the first time around.Maybe the U.S.needs to start tracking kids, like they do in European schools: if a student has shown no effort or inclination for higher education by the age of 14, send him to trade school.This attitude that everyone needs to go to a 4 year college is unrealistic and ineffective.

L.Gardner of NV 5:34PM March 29, 2010

I tried to recall Gov. Reagan, for several reasons. As a regent of Land Grant colleges, he imposed tuition. He was helped by regent Mrs. Hearst, a Catholic who also preferred church schools. He severely cut funding for public education. he was for vouchers for church schools & most of them are Catholic. He pushed every way to put God into public schools. He was for "under God" in the Pledge & for "In God We Trust" on money, The word "God" was put there to force kids to speak, year & read that word, to fool them into believing all Americans are Christians. Reagan said the pope guided his presidency. He was a fake WASP. His dad, brother & first wife were Catholic as were many of his appointees & cabinets. We need federal funding for public education. The argument that states are better for education is wrong. Until segregation was ended, most former slave states denied blacks fair access to education. It made them remain Cheap Labor, as state politicians meant to do, to favor corporations that gave them campaign contributions. With computers, we can have the very best teachers do offsite teaching, with far less big buildings.

auradawn veirs of CA 2:28AM December 20, 2009

Dear Mr. Duncan,
Two letters from U.S. News and World Reports comments on the "Best" High Schools in America. From sea to shining sea……….
from Virginia:
TJHSST and the Office of Civil Rights decision
In July 2009, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) found compliance concerns with "Particularly the School" (Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology) in the areas of health, transportation and instruction regarding a disabled student. I understand from two national non-profit organizations and local school district personnel that it is very unusual for the Office of Civil Rights to require a school to reimburse money to the family and submit evaluation documents to the OCR in the future. It suggests the OCR considers this non-compliance pretty substantial.
Although the student did not have a lawyer for the OCR complaint, the school/district did. Jennifer Jaff, Executive Director of Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness, Inc. wrote "I have worked with schools throughout America. Most place the student's need above their own convenience. TJ fought over issues that should have been resolved easily...". How ironic that the "#1" high school in America would not accept doctor's instructions from the #1 hospital in America. Even though previous schools already had, TJ did not.
TJ students are #1-type kids and will be at any school they attend. However, U.S. News and World Report states: a ”great high school must serve all its students well”. I agree.
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from California
Top 100 High Schools
Apparently Secretary Duncan has not read the years of Newsweek's "Top 100 High Schools". The solution to "higher performing" schools and teachers is easily seen by inspecting the gold and silver award winners.
The Rules:
1. Populate the schools with hand-picked students such as do magnet schools and private schools. Make provision for dumping under-achieving students back into the "under-performing" schools.
2. Choose heavily ethnically Asian students, preferably first-generation.
3. Choose most students from English-speaking families well-above the poverty level.
Teachers and schools following these guidelines really look good, Arne!
=================================================================
Best wishes on merit pay to inspire teachers. I have seen merit "pay" (learning computer game time or “get out of dishes” coupons) work in raising my children's grades. But I do require them to not use another’s work, not exclude others and not use too many supplies on just their own goals. When you visited TJ, you expressed that you wished more students had such resources. I do too. Too much, for too few. Time to share……

Shirley Bridges of VA 7:30AM December 18, 2009

Dear Mr. Duncan,
How not to measure schools:
Two letters from U.S. News and World Reports comments on the "Best" High Schools in America. From sea to shining sea……….
from Virginia:
TJHSST and the Office of Civil Rights decision
In July 2009, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) found compliance concerns with "Particularly the School" (Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology) in the areas of health, transportation and instruction regarding a disabled student. I understand from two national non-profit organizations and local school district personnel that it is very unusual for the Office of Civil Rights to require a school to reimburse money to the family and submit evaluation documents to the OCR in the future. It suggests the OCR considers this non-compliance pretty substantial.
Although the student did not have a lawyer for the OCR complaint, the school/district did. Jennifer Jaff, Executive Director of Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness, Inc. wrote "I have worked with schools throughout America. Most place the student's need above their own convenience. TJ fought over issues that should have been resolved easily...". How ironic that the "#1" high school in America would not accept doctor's instructions from the #1 hospital in America. Even though previous schools already had, TJ did not.
TJ students are #1-type kids and will be at any school they attend. However, U.S. News and World Report states: a ”great high school must serve all its students well”. I agree.
================================================
from California
Top 100 High Schools
Apparently Secretary Duncan has not read the years of Newsweek's "Top 100 High Schools". The solution to "higher performing" schools and teachers is easily seen by inspecting the gold and silver award winners.
The Rules:
1. Populate the schools with hand-picked students such as do magnet schools and private schools. Make provision for dumping under-achieving students back into the "under-performing" schools.
2. Choose heavily ethnically Asian students, preferably first-generation.
3. Choose most students from English-speaking families well-above the poverty level.
Teachers and schools following these guidelines really look good, Arne!
=================================================================
Best wishes on merit pay to inspire teachers. I have seen merit "pay" (learning computer game time or “get out of dishes” coupons) work in raising my children's grades. But I do require them to not use another’s work, not exclude others and not use too many supplies on just their own goals. When you visited TJ, you expressed that you wished more students had such resources. I do too. Too much, for too few. Time to share……

Shirley Bridges of VA 7:28AM December 18, 2009

While the vast majority of "eyes" and comments are on and about the teacher, the instructional leaders - principals all too often go without being held accountable. I have witnessed a school house FULL OF TOP TEACHERS fall under the leadership of a poor instructional leader and the principal scapegoated the teachers rather than owning up to his shortcomings.Principals should be for teachers what teachers are to be for their students. For new and inexperienced teachers, principals should be able to provide differenciated instructional leadership and/or use their available human resources within the building to support their faculty's needs. They should know the strength and weaknesses of their teachers and be able to match and or group them with colleagues that can strengthen their weaknesses and benefit from their strengths. For the strong and/or experienced teachers, principals should understand their role as team facilitator and foster a colleagial shared decisionmaking schoolbased management team spirit. All inclusive group problem solving strategies that welcome school community participation including parents and students is another criteria for which principal's should be evaluated. Having conflict resolution skills of mediation, negotiation, and problem solving combined with team building training is another area in which instructional leaders need intensive training. Student, teacher, and parent incentive programs need to be on-going and continuous. If every school had an instructional leader trained and/or in training for these skills and applied them daily in their school, teaching and learning would improve trememdously across the country.

Dr. Carmen L. C. Palmer of IL 9:36PM December 10, 2009

Too bad few people really took the time to examine the test results required by NCLB. State comparisons of results on the national tests revealed tremendous disparities across the states, regionally, and between urban and rural areas. Allowing states to design and administer their own tests and define success levels on such tests created a real nightmare and spelled disaster for NCLB. Some form of national standardized test is necessary to ensure that all children are at least learning things necessary to survive in our increasingly technical environment and that they can make sound financial decisions so they don't get ripped off by scoundrels and predators who prey on the unwary. By the way, if you take the time to disaggregate administrative and logistical expenses from those associated directly with teaching, you will find a statistically significant correlation between expenses for teaching and student achievement on the NCLB national test.

RetFed2k of CO 4:43PM December 10, 2009

The NCLB bill misses the point. Education begins at home via the parents, not teachers. Dumping problems on them is not the solution, it only creates a problem elsewhere. One thing I have with the education system is the emphasis of giving bonuses to principals and not the teachers. The teachers are the ones with the ability to impact children; principals are glorified overseers. I believe teachers are one of the most reputable and important positions in a person's life behind parents. They do not receive enough credit for their work. Without them, many if not all people would not be able to function. They are literally overpaid and overworked. Employers are reporting an overwhelming increase in Bachelor's applicants that may or may not be prepared to do basic tasks, such as come to work on time. It's time we looked at the education problem in the right light

Andy of FL 4:24PM December 10, 2009

1) Operate small schools with small class sizes
2) Codify and publish detailed national standards per grade level on the internet. If they are the file sizes of the old multi-volume encyclopedias and updated annually, fine.
3) Track student performance to teachers and base 50% of the INDIVIDUAL teachers' pay according to the progress that is made by his/her specific students on the national standards.
4) Get all private corporations out of testing and curriculum. Do it from government.
If you don't do these things, don't expect improvement.

Muser of NM 3:51PM December 10, 2009

The no child left behind policey is a very good idea but what the problem is they appointed the wrong individuals to taken on this task math teachers and politicians that are not even educated enough on this matter bad move you need to appoint better qualified people to handel this situation

Eric Clemmons of CA 1:34PM December 10, 2009