Abstract This paper discusses the adverse impact of the requirements of the No ChildLeft Behind (NCLB) Act. The paper outlines specific provisions of the NCLB legislation and examines its unrealistic expectations. The paper maintains that the Act's standards of achievement have no basis in the realities of the education system.
From the Paper "Since the passage of President George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind (NCLB) education legislation, the adverse impact of its requirements has been experienced at the school district and state levels. Most specifically, its unrealistic expectations of increased academic performance for all subgroups of students, including those with special needs and limited English proficiency, have imposed an unreasonable burden on schools and school districts. Other problems such as the lack of funding and resources to comply with the provisions of the legislation have also been found..."
Abstract This paper examines the "No ChildLeft Behind" legislation, looking at its primary themes and the initial reaction of various legislators and educators to the legislation. The paper further discusses the outcome of the legislation in terms of academic achievement as well as the future of the No ChildLeft Behind Act.
Abstract This paper examines problems in the No ChildLeft Behind Act, which was considered to be one of the most significant attempts at educational reform in recent history. The author considers how the Act affects students, teachers, and communities. Additionally, the author takes the position that No ChildLeft Behind Behind (NCLB) has had an overall negative effect on the educational movement in America and that there is need for a change in NCLB strategies. The author illustrates these points with several reviews of several publications.
From the Paper "Meanwhile, the American Federation of Teachers asserts that "flaws in the law are undercutting its original promise" (www.aft.org), and federal guidance for states "has been unclear, untimely and unhelpful." Moreover, the AFT statement on their Web site indicates serious concerns about the "pervasive problem" of under funding; the cornerstone for NCLB is Title 1, and the authorization for Title 1 in 2006 was scheduled to be $22.75 billion (according to the legislation). But President George W. Bush has only put $13.3 billion in his budget request. "This continues a pattern of underfunding for NCLB," AFT explains, adding that the $9 billion left out of Bush's request is "crucial" to more than 1,700 secondary schools."
Tags: No, Child, Left, Behind, educational, reform, teachers, students, legislation
Abstract This paper discusses the No ChildLeft Behind Act and the adequate yearly progress (AYP) objectives that the Act requires each state to develop. It describes and defines AYP and the number of students that are required in order to form a subgroup that is statistically valid. Specifically, the paper analyzes the benefits and limitations of the AYP requirements.
From the Paper "Further, these schools have to be able to provide both support and maintenance for the technology that they have. Many of these more rural schools are not able to afford to employ an on-site coordinator to provide the support that is needed for the technology (Reeves, 2003). Once again, the most significant obstacle that is facing the rural school districts is the lack of access to the resources that they need. Under the current funding formulas that are used, there are many rural districts that do not have the access to financial resources that they need in order to be able to take advantage of the latest and greatest in technology (Reeves, 2003). Programs like the one that is offered in Missouri are one step closer to helping many rural schools to address the problems that are often associated with being both small, rural, and dealing with The No Child Left Behind Act."
Abstract The No ChildLeft behind Act is the United States government's answer to ensuring that children are properly educated in the nation's public schools. Through annual testing in basic subjects such as math and reading, children of all grade levels are tested on the knowledge, skills and abilities to determine if the schools are accomplishing their mission of teaching American children. This paper examines the impact of this law and argues that it has a significant negative impact on both the United States education system and children in urban schools.
From the Paper "Background Standardized testing reflects the belief that one test will be suitable to assess the abilities of all American school children in a particular subject. States are individually responsible for producing these tests, which are then distributed to all schools within the state, where they are administered by the school districts."
Abstract In this paper the author looks at how the " No ChildLeft Behind Act" should more adequately address the needs of individual students. He highlights how policies enacted in the spirit of generalized legislation should be removed to allow local, state, and community governments to decide the provisions necessary for their children and schools. The paper concludes with how public awareness must be raised to accomplish these goals.
From the Paper "Teachers forced to teach under the new system also provide the same concerns, saying that they simply do not have the resources to provide some of the services demanded by the act and instead have to lessen their individual attention to start incorporating the standardized lessons. As a response, many of the critics argue that the NCLB bill should never have been passed to affect public education and that it is a blight on an already faltering system. Others, however, take a less dramatic stance, instead offering solutions to help the system provide more individual attention rather than generalizations. "
Tags:child, student, opinion, education, public, school
Abstract The No ChildLeft Behind Act (NCLB) was intended to provide a federal mandate that would ensure equal educational opportunities for all children in the United States. Not since the 1965 Secondary Education Act has the United States government played such a significant role in how education will function in the country. This paper compares the primary focus of the 1965 Secondary Education Act with that of the No ChildLeft Behind Act. The paper explains that the Secondary Education Act focused primarily on funding and was implemented as a means of providing financial support for education by ensuring that educators cold afford the tools needed in the classroom. In contrast the NCLB primarily concerns funding for schools that are capable of meeting scoring criteria for standardized tests.
Abstract This article looks at the educational reform in the "No ChildLeft Behind (NCLB) Act", that intends to create an environment in which all children should be able to learn and succeed. The writer claims that in demanding high standards for public schools, the NCLBAct places emphasis on the determination of which educational programs and practices have been proven to be successful and effective through scientific research. The article discusses related problems with the NCLBAct's provisions and the writer investigates the success of testing methods within schools. The writer presents the views of several teachers regarding the effectiveness of the Act.
From the Paper "Close to forty percent of those who begin high school drop out before they finish. Many others fail in fact if not in name. They complete their schooling because we have agreed to push them up through the grades and out of the schools, whether they know anything or not."
The words of John Holt, author, former teacher, and leading figure in educational reform, echo the sentiment of many of America's public school teachers, and the addition of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act has served only to reinforce such feeling."
Tags:child, grades, schools, standardized, students
Abstract This paper attempts to determine if testing under the "No ChildLeft Behind Act" (NCLB), signed into law in 2001 by President George Bush, is capable of accomplishing what it is intended to accomplish. The paper points out that NCLB was intended to address the needs of students to achieve proficiency in basic reading and mathematical skills. Prior to the implementation of NCLB, many youths throughout the country were exiting the educational system without possessing these skills and this hindered their ability to achieve personal and professional goals. As a solution, NCLB required each state to develop standardized testing that would produce test scores indicating each student's level and allowing officials to determine whether or not the schools were accomplishing their goals. The paper finds that one of the most significant issues is that each state's tests are not universal and in some states the tests are consistently changed, providing no clear evidence of progress that can be compared over time. The paper concludes that, for students struggling in school, state testing measures do not support the intention of NCLB and reduce the validity of the accountability of the educational system.
From the Paper "The text of the NCLB indicates that "each state may select and design assessments of their choosing" ("No Child", 2001, sec. 3). Wenning, Herdman, Smith, McMahon and Washington (2003) discuss the fact that in states such as Louisiana and Maryland the tests that have been developed to meet the mandates of NCLB are both norm-referenced and criterion based (sec. 2). According to Wenning, Herdman, Smith, McMahon and Washington (2003) this means that some students are tested on their "board knowledge" of a subject, while other students are tested on their specific knowledge of objectives associated with the curriculum in each state (sec. 2). As this consistently occurs the tests results that are gathered by the state and federal governments cannot be compared to one another because there is not a universal system of testing that occurs. Additionally, because the testing of students is determined by each state, some states alter the testing patterns given, further complicating the accountability and assessment process."
Abstract The paper discusses the controversy the No ChildLeft Behind Act (NCLB) has engendered on the state and local level and among teachers, parents and students. The paper explains that NCLB is designed to help students by guaranteeing them a better education. The paper maintains that the government needs a way to measure that better education. The paper relates that standardized testing is the way the federal government has chosen to accomplish this task, but excessive testing can have a negative effect on students. The paper concludes that NCLB has potential as an educational reform. It really could improve education in this country, but it needs to be reviewed and revised so that it is truly fair to all groups involved.
From the Paper "Current President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) into law on January 8, 2002 (ed.gov). This education improvement act which reworked the former Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is supposed to accomplish several things to improve schools in the United States. States and districts are supposed to be more accountable. State and local levels should have more flexibility when using federal money. Teachers are encouraged to use proven methods of teaching and parents have more options in getting their child the best education possible (ed.gov)."
Looks at the leadership of Secretary of of Education Rod Paige during which the controversial No ChildLeft Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 was passed and implemented.
Abstract This paper explains that the Secretary of the Department of Education (DOE) from 2001 through 2005, Rod Paige, is a controversial figure. The paper describes Secretary Paige's primary responsibility for the initial passage and implementation of the No ChildLeft Behind Act (NCLB), which has been the most sweeping educational reform legislation in a generation, intended to raise all schoolchildren in the United States to a uniform level of achievement by 2014. The paper then presents several important issues contributing to the failure of the DOE to fully come to terms with the complexities and enforced uniformities of NCLB. The paper concludes that Paige's own controversial stances and excessively strident political viewpoint may have reduced his potential effectiveness during his term.
From the Paper "Paige went on to note that with over 15,000 individual school districts in the nation, with assessment and governance standards varying almost on a district-by-district level (and certainly on a state-by-state level), he made it a priority for his department to work closely with each state to institute appropriate assessment and accountability programs. He stated that this first goal was accomplished (in 2003) for all fifty states, in large part due to the cooperation of delegations from many states, which had been invited to meet with DOE leadership in Washington, D.C., to discuss their issues and concerns."
Abstract This paper explains that, according to the United States Department of Education, the No ChildLeft Behind Act (NCLB) is necessary to promote scholastic achievement amongst American students by promoting stronger accountability, more freedom for states and communities, more choices for parents and proven education methods. The author points out that many people believe that it is a step in the right direction but see that it has some very serious flaws. The paper concludes that the real victims will be students left behind in failing schools because these schools do not possess the financial wherewithal to attract good teachers.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Defining NCLB and Parental Involvement
Stronger Accountability for Results
More Freedom for States and Communities
More Choices for Parents
Proven Education Methods
Economic, Social and Political Institutions or Players
Factual Analysis
From the Paper "As it relates to political institution, this Act is one of the policies that have emerged during the Bush administration; making the Bush administration a major player in the implementation of the act. Although there are republicans that are supportive of this act, there are other Republicans and Democrats alike that do not believe it will accomplish the goal of leaving no child behind. This has made this Act a hot button issue in the political world. State governments also have a great deal to loose or gain through the implementation of the Act."
Abstract This paper examines how America's forefathers had the right idea in wanting to educate Americans and rid the great country of ignorance. It looks at how policy makers have since attempted to draw up the best way to make sure education is a success in America and how the No ChildLeft Behind Act is just another milestone in the public education system. It examines the debate on whether it is helpful and puts forward the author's opinion that, while the NCLB is a good start for reform for American schools, perhaps it is time for it to be fully revised to ensure that, truly, no child is left behind.
From the Paper "Politicians have used the school system as a political issue to gain support for their election. Most recently President George W. Bush was elected into office by a nation that fully knew his beliefs on the education system. Bush was first the governor of Texas and his ability to turn around the school system in that state gave hope to presidential voters in 2000. The testing scores in Texas were brought up as was the graduation rate. Yearly testing became the norm to ensure that no student was left behind to not be able to complete the basic educational skills needed to survive in the American job market."
Abstract This paper discusses the Federal 'No ChildLeft Behind 'Act and its impact on education in the United States. The paper further examines the effects of this Act upon school systems, students' administrators, and teachers. In to determine if the Act can work within the current educational system, this paper reviews both the opposing and supporting views.
From the Paper "The No Child Left Behind Act was created by the Federal government as an answer to providing a quality education for minority and poor children in the United States. "
Abstract This paper examines the relationship between the number of teaching years of experience and student achievement, focusing on the No ChildLeft Behind Act. The paper explains that the No ChildLeft Behind Act says that all states have to develop adequate yearly progress (AYP) objectives that are designed to show improvements in achievement for all students, and also for specific subgroups (such as those that are economically disadvantaged, the major racial and ethnic groups, students that have disabilities, and students that have limited proficiency in English). The paper then looks at all the challenges of the No ChildLeft Behind Act. The paper also points out that the No ChildLeft Behind Act required that states make sure all teachers of the core academic subjects are considered to be "highly qualified" by the end of the 2005-2006 school year. The paper then explores the advantages and disadvantages of distance learning.
Outline:
Review of Related Literature
Highly Qualified Teachers
Distance Learning
Graduation Rates
From the Paper "The longer bus rides that are required in rural areas also affect other areas besides the school district's budget. A year-long investigation, done by the Charleston Gazette-Mail, recently uncovered some very upsetting data that pertains to the bus rides that are seen in rural West Virginia (Eyre & Finn, 2002). During the 2002-2003 school year, there were more than half of all of the bus routes that were used by students in rural areas of West Virginia that were seen to exceed "reasonable" distances under the guidelines that the district had. The elementary children that rode the bus to school spent more than one hour each way on over 300 bus routes that were seen in 34 out of the state's 35 counties that are deemed to be the most rural (Reeves, 2003)."
