Today marks the five-year anniversary of President Bush’s signing of the No Child Left Behind Act. As our editorial on today’s Opinion page notes, the law has brought some progress, but it has major flaws — particularly its impossible mandate that all students must be proficient in reading in math by 2014.
The law is also requiring the Wichita school district to have to spend $400,000 so far this school year on private tutors to help several “failing” schools and their low-income students meet No Child Left Behind standards.
The tutoring itself isn’t so much the issue — the struggling kids need help. The problem is that no one seems to know whether the tutoring will make a difference in student achievement, or exactly how the program will be evaluated.
What if Johnny still can’t read after all that expense?
Posted by Randy Scholfield
Registered?
Commenting on WE Blog now requires you to be a Kansas.com member. Use the links above to register, if you haven't already, or to log in.Contact us
Follow us
Daily Archives
-
Recent Comments
- JimJohnson on Open thread 11/22
- DavidB on Open thread 11/22
- DavidB on Open thread 11/22
- JimJohnson on Open thread 11/22
- JimJohnson on Open thread 11/22
- JimJohnson on Open thread 11/22
- Pleefer on Open thread 11/22
- JimJohnson on Open thread 11/22
- JimJohnson on Open thread 11/22
- American_Way on Open thread 11/22
32 Comments
Perhaps this tutoring business is exactly what the No Child Left Behind was created to do. It is making public schools spend more money and still fail the standardized testing. Therefore, the church schools will be saying ‘we can do better’ and the federal government will gladly hand over all the public taxpayer money to churchs.
But we all know what the church schools will do – they will cherry pick the students they want and discard the rest. Bottom line here is the church schools want the taxpayer money without any strings attached. That’s been the whole premise behind this No Child Left Behind crap.
The issue is whether the tutoring will work. While I am hopeful the tutoring will help the students (it seems it should) being tutored, the measurement of performance on the State Assessments is where “the rubber meets the road”; and, I fear, the scores will not improve sufficiently across the board for AYP to be obtained. If this be the case, there will be other measures taken, IAW the law; but will the students benefit?
The theory behind NCLB has merit, but its methodology is lacking; and let’s face it, the 2014 goals of “every student testing proficient” in the assessed areas is unrealistic.
I have no good answers; the schools need to be accountable to the public for the education of the students. However, I am of the rather strong opinion that measurement of achievement by State Assessments alone isn’t the way to get there. I also feel that relying solely on the classroom teacher’s assessments is not the way to get there, either. I suspect, but do not know, there is a way there combining both, with other factors taken into account; what this is, though, is not subject to quick reporting, and there isn’t a “quick fix” to the problems.
If Johnny STILL can’t read after all this expense…..his parents should be neutered.
I believe I read somewhere that the number of dropouts and students testing under proficiency is actually HIGHER than it was before this law was enacted. I am not reciting this as truth, since I don’t remember exactly where I saw that at, but I do remember reading that, and, based on the numbers given here, I don’t find it that difficult to believe.
I agree that it is good “in concept”, much like the “war on drugs” – but as with so many things, what is good in thought is not always good in reality. One of the problems as I see it is this “no fail” mentality – when you can no longer fail a child and require them to repeat a grade if they are not ready to move on, is it any wonder we have eigth graders who can’t read. And what about the parents who are always crying “it isn’t their fault!” If we don’t teach our children accountability now, when will they learn it? No wonder we have such dismal numbers – our teachers hands are so tied by all these rules and regulations and parents butting in that prevents them from actually doing their job successfully. When I was in school, if you didn’t or couldn’t do the work, you were failed, and you repeated the grade. There were special ed classes for those who needed the help. And if you talked back to the teacher or used profanity or got in a fight, you were going to the principals office to get your parents called, and had detention or suspension. And when your parents got called because you were misbehaving, you got in trouble at home too – there was none of this “my child wouldn’t do that” crap – if an adult said you did it, you did it and that was that. No wonder crime is going up and income is going down and only 43% of students are graduating – we don’t make them think they have to or need to!!! For god’s sake, make your kids responsible for their actions!!! One thing about the church schools is that they will hand those consequences down – maybe that’s why children who attend them are so much more successful! But I tell you, if my son needs to be held back, then hold him back, don’t send him on even more illprepared than he already is. If he gets in a fight at school, I better be getting a phone call, and he will be facing consequences at home… None of that “my kid wouldn’t do that” for me – if I am getting a phone call, I know that there is a problem with something, and he will face the consequences – and then he will KNOW that there are consequences for his behavior and he will be less likely to perpetrate it….
And for the record, I am under 30 (not much but still technically there :) ) so my school days really weren’t all that long ago, although sometimes it seems like a lifetime compared to schools today…
Sunday School always improved my reading skills. :)
Pres. Bush :
” “My No Child Left, er, Somewhere” program has been a successs! It stresses the 3 Rs-Readin’, Ritin’, and , ah, more Readin’!
That’s what got me my high school diplomat, and then it just took a Corvette ( For the Pres.) and I was off to college!
After that it just took 2 parking lots and half a Gym building and I was in Grad school.
Even now I still enjoy those Notes novels I used so much. You know, Cliff Notes?
I still get those Notes from Condie and Dead-eye Dick!Life goes on- it just takes herd work!!
But if the drop out rate is higher under No Child Left Behind, then is this program really a success?
What happens to those drop outs? They become a burden of welfare recipients and breed even more welfare recipients?
As for church schools, my husband was on the corporate ladder which meant we were transferred every 2-3 years to a new job within the corporation. My children were in public and church schools during their childhood. From my experience, the church schools were ’safer’ due to smaller class sizes and I personally met each teacher and had a relationship with them. As far as the actual learning, I don’t think there was much difference.
We were not Catholic but in one town the only private school was the Catholic school. So we placed our children there. It was at that school where my kids learned the filthiest language, usually sexual in nature, and they also witnessed the Catholic kids making fun of and harassing one poor little nun. The nun finally had to resign and enter a sanitarium. I know this to be true because I discussed it with the principal and priest and both confirmed the details.
So just because it is a church school does not make it a better environment. It depends on the people involved and it depends on the parents involvment, as well.
Well, cs, while I can see your point – there are always exceptions to the rule and it sounds like that Catholic school was it. I attended both public and private schools – and I have to say that I learned a lot more, had a more motivated environment, and generally fared better in the Catholic school I attended than in the public school. And again, the class sizes were smaller, my parents were able to be more involved, and there was a greater sense of community among the students… despite that, someone else brought up the church schools, I was just using them as an example of what seemingly works (i.e. a school system which does not adhere to the strict doctrinations which limit educational ability of teachers by not being able to fail/punish/etc students as compared to one which can and does) to show why I feel that “no child left behind” is NOT helping at all…
I wasn’t trying to down private or church schools because in my posting I said that I felt both public and private schools taught basically the same.
My husband and I chose to place the kids in private schools if at all possible (which is why they went to the Catholic school even though we are not Catholic). I did appreciate the smaller class size and the relationships with their teachers was a win-win for both the teachers and us.
The trouble with the public schools is parental involvement is not there, usually, and they do have their hands tied in so many bureaucratic (sp?) redtape.
It all boils down to the individual school and involvement of the parents. Without that teamwork, no school will be perfect.
cs, parental involvement is a key, to be sure; but lack of parental involvement, as you are probably aware, is not limited to the public schools. I am also, through my wife’s employment, associated with a private school here in Wichita; both girls attended elementary school there, the younger middle school, too; while there is a group of parents who are very involved, the number is quite small, considering the investment being made. I have observed a trend over the past 10 years or so of, “I pay the tuition, I drop them off, it’s your problems, don’t bother me” attitude, which is oft times accompanied by whining over homework, etc., impinging on the students’ extracurricular time.
BTW, for all with school age children, the USD 259 Choices Fair is tomorrow evening at Century II; a good place and time to review the various magnet and alternative programs the district offers.
And, the question really isn’t why Johnny still can’t read; it’s why Johnny still can’t read proficiently at grade level.
Forgot to post the hours for the Choices Fair: 5 pm to 8 pm.
Parental involvement, ha. I don’t even want to hear about that anymore. Since going through the whole IEP processes I have found the school wants to do it THEIR way all the time. I’m actively involved more than most, and what I get from the school in a lot of cases is a bunch of ‘we will do what WE feel is right and there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it.’
I would JUST ONCE like to see a newspaper do an in depth look at this, the schools blaming the parents- when we have whole books on how parents have to learn to try to navigate getting the appropriate help for their kids in the schools- even though the law is supposedly on our side!
One school I had my daughter in, they had an afterschool program where teachers and volunteers came into the cafeteria and kids could come in there for help. The school we have now does not do that. My daughter is really struggling with Geometry, and it would be nice to have someone to go to for extra help.
Mom, sorry to hear your daughter is struggling in Geometry; if you lived in Wichita, I’d volunteer, as I’m a glutton for punishment. Too bad the current school doesn’t have an after school/lunch time assistance program, too.
This is an area where parental involvement might make a difference, e.g., offering to tutor in various subjects as parents. I know finding the time to volunteer is difficult, but it is a wonderful experience, assuming, of course, the volunteer doesn’t ruin the student! :) Seriously, parental involvement is oft times considered as referring only to current parents; I prefer the term community involvement, to include not only parents, but grandparents, uncles, aunts, members of the community, et al.
I suspect my grandsons will be the ones helping their classmates … at least the pretty girls!
;^)
hmmm, darn right; got to know (not Biblically!) many of my XX chromosone classmates better by “helping out” in those days.
And Mom, just because the law is on your side doesn’t mean the schools are required to make it easy for you.
VT, that’s the point, it shouldn’t BE a battle.
I have exactly ZERO trouble having 100% involvement in my kids education. And all three of mine have IEP’s, too.
Really, for what balls?
I suppose you’re also one of those parents who go into an IEP meeting and just nod your head and say ‘ok’.
And you also don’t have kids who are seriously disabled either- where the decisions are vital to the outcome of the kids.
Funny, when I helped substitute teach for LD classes, that included autistic and Down’s syndrome children, everything was orderly, the kids were polite and eager to learn. The occasional disruption like regular kids, but nothing serious.
Then mommy comes to picks them up and dumbing down session beginss. They try to help dress them to put their coat on (even though they did very well by themselves all day long.) Then comes the extra loud volume speaking voice, like their children have suddenly become deaf.
Same with the other kids in math or sciences classes I helped out with. The problem is that once the kids are out of school, the pattern among the poor performer is that the kids can’t wait to get home (natural) but are hesitate to go home and get their daily brow beating. They don’t want to study because there is no home atmosphere to study and the kid’s parents give them a speech on the affairs of the world instead of helping them or at least trying to help them.
Yeah, easy to be a victim and roll around in the misery of it all.
I’ve seen both sides of the fence and a lot of times parents say one thing, but don’t hold up their end of the bargain. If they did, problems at school would be down near zero in both behavior and learning.
If you used quality tutors, then the system will work. If you don’t use people that can communicate and work that know the subject that they’re tutoring with kids – it those tutors will fail.
Then you fire those tutors – whose students continue to fail, along with the HR person or administratorthat brought the ‘bad’ tutor on board.
“Sunday School always improved my reading skills. :)”
You must have read the Song of Soloman, too. [just kidding, but I found it interesting]
http://www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/www/Bible/Song_of_Solomon.html
Pee,”I suppose you’re also one of those parents who go into an IEP meeting and just nod your head and say ‘ok’.”
After all the comments I’ve made about being involved with my kids teachers, developing relationships with the school administration, participating regularly…
Why would you suggest that I just say ‘ok’?
What kind of things have you asked for, and do you think the fact that you’re rich and your wife is an educator might have something to do with it?
Curiously,Why would you suggest that I just say ‘ok’?
I did not suggest you say ok, I”m saying that’s what a lot of parents do…they don’t know what to ask for, they don’t know they how to get it, they sign the sheet that the educators made up before they come in. IEPS are supposed to be a partnership, how much partnership are you getthing when they write the entire plan before you even walk in the door.
And curiously, why would all 3 of your kids have an IEP.
My oldest was ID’d as gifted when she was in first grade. She was reading in pre-school, but we didn’t know that was unusual. Gifted students are categorized as special ed and therefore require an IEP. The other two were subsequently ID’d as gifted, also.
We have an annual meeting with each child’s liaison where we start with a blank sheet of paper and develop goals/objectives for the upcoming year. There is no “ok – whatever you want” with the Gifted teacher. Parents are REQUIRED to participate, interact, develop and execute the IEP.
Watch out, KSGolfnut, some public schools in KS are booting kids out of the gifted programs, citing state regulatory pressures.
Be ready to show that your kids need *more* than just what the standard curriculum provides.
Golf, CSA speaks the truth on this. Gifted programs are quickly becoming “endangered species” across the country, from what I have read and heard. One reason is the resources needed to elevate the bottom, so to speak, on the assessments for NCLB purposes; the top (including those id’d as “gifted”) are relegated to “they will do fine, regardless” grouping.
Most long-time teachers with whom I’ve spoken over the years agree with my belief that there is nothing so dangerous as a bored, bright student; such a student has the capacity for causing trouble greatly beyond that of the others.
If it hasn’t become apparent from other postings over time, I am an advocate for educating each student so s/he attains his/her full potential, whatever that may be; and the regular curriculum fails those “at the top” as well as those “at the bottom”.
Vaughn & CSA,I’ve heard for years that the public school system was pondering the notion of eliminating gifted programs. However, to date, we’ve been nothing short of elated with the response for our kids.
If support for gifted kids DOES go away, I’m not worried. They get excellent additional education at home.
Glad to hear that, Golf; our elder’s experience with the Gifted Program was top drawer, too.
I suspect that there is a lot of enrichment at your home, given what your and your spouse’s educational levels are. The issue I have with the thought of any elimination of the Gifted Program lies more with the parents who, for whatever reason, do not have the background/time/other resources to provide this for their students.