You make a common mistake. You assert that NCLB is the cause of less history, science, art, music, etc. Actually, it's poor implementation by local schools and districts that causes the loss of such classes. You'd be better off addressing those concerns with more local authorities.
NCLB has some issues that could be improved: one improvement I'd suggest would be to require continuous improvement towards the 100% goal rather than the impossible 100% standard itself. Another would be to lighten up on calling a school "failing" if only one subgroup doesn't improve.
Whoa! Imperial failure in Iraq? You might be better off sticking with educational issues in any letter to Congress.
Ok, here is the deal from my pont of view...I am actually a big PROponent of NCLB. Sure it needs to be tweaked and streamlined but the main points I feel are very valid.
What I feel is really out of wack is the STATE'S interpretations of what they think the law says. Case in point, NCLB just says that each class must be taught by a highly qualified teacher BUT it leaves it up to the state to define what "highly qualified" means. Now in Arizona, our state has us jumping through all these massive tests and hoops to be "qualified" and everybody just blames NCLB instead of the state board of ed.
I feel they should massively decrease the ammount of data needed and totally throw out this rediculous notion that by something like 2012 100% of students will be able to be at standards.
My two cents...
Commenting by HaloScan
