Letter to Editor and Critique of Editorial

¶ … No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) Act of 2001 signed by President George Bush, Jr. is supposed to be "a landmark in education reform designed to improve student achievement and change the culture of America's schools." Bush describes this law as the "cornerstone of my administration." The program aims to: support learning in early years, provide parents and teachers with more information about the child's performance through designed measurements, improve teacher performance by setting criteria needed for instructors; and give more resources to schools. Schools that fail to make sufficient progress can be required to offer individual tutoring or to allow students to transfer to other schools. If the failure continues, schools can be subject to further penalties, including total reorganization. Thus far, however, the results are demonstrating more of what the program cannot accomplish than what it can.

First, the NCLB has not been communicated well to those who could gain by its provisions. For example, an article in Christian Science Monitor quotes a "seasoned activist" and parent from the Bronx who did not even know that parents were an integral part of the NCLB process. The states, districts, and schools are to notify parents about everything from their children's progress to their options for transferring out of low-performing schools. However, the Monitor tells of a study based on conversations with 26 grass-roots organizations showing that many parents -- even those involved in their children's schools -- remain unaware of these options or confused on how to use them.

Second, it may be true that many parents are not getting the message about "No Child Left Behind." At the same time, teachers are getting the wrong message -- shape up or ship out. Sadly, the program is promoting cheating and deception. Whenever teachers are told that test scores will influence their job security, some will do anything to get higher results. An article in a Los Angeles Times relates how instructors are giving students answers in advance or even during the testing period itself. Thus far in California, the state has intervened at 56 schools with poor scores, shaking up staffs. The federal government has warned 11 California campuses that they could lose funding or face other sanctions. This has made both teachers and administrators quite worried. Although it is believed that the number of cheaters is low, a study in Chicago schools suggested that teacher cheating might occur in 4 to 5% of classrooms. According to the Times report, Harvard professor Brian Jacob and University of Chicago professor Steven Levitt made that estimate last year after analyzing more than 700,000 students' records.

Third, the program has a backward, traditional approach to education. In this day and age with children growing up in a highly stimulated environment, the sit-at-your-desk RR& R. just does not work. Another article in the Los Angeles Times faults NCLB for its "rote mechanical" nature. Early in the century, it was all right for traditional approaches followed up by mechanized tests. However, students must now be engaged and motivated, introduced to and involved with high-technology, given an opportunity to relate the real world to school learning, and instructed by older students.

Similarly, a reporter with the Washington Post says that by putting more of an emphasis on test taking and less on other developmental needs, students are not receiving the wide-reaching education they require in today's world. For example, teachers who do not get to know their students may not recognize that someone is being bullied or having problems at home. Lack of relationships between teachers and students can also lead to major issues such as the Columbine shooting.

Says the article's reporter McKenna: