Deseret News | Utah educators await NCLB grades

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Utah educators await NCLB grades

Our return is low | 2:00 a.m. Sept. 15, 2009

NCLB forces schools to focus on the lower 20% of students. This is not where most of the return comes from.

We are ignoring our top third, education has been watered down.

Educrat | 6:00 a.m. Sept. 15, 2009

To Our Return is Low,

If your school IS focusing only on the bottom 20%, there is something fundamentally wrong with your school. NCLB was to increase access to public education that was not happening for the bottom third. The top third were already getting it, and should still be getting it. You can't just cast off the bottom third because they aren't 'where most of the return comes from.'

Your foolish statement is why NCLB must continue (though adjustments made to make the goal a possibility for all kids). Educators and some schools always left kids behind because they were somehow worth less than a bright and intelligent child. While they can't function the same, the attitude needed changing.

Obama, please! | 6:48 a.m. Sept. 15, 2009

This is one area where the new president can make an impact...let the special education students have a different standard by which to be measured. It is ridiculous that students, who are already considered a special group by the Federal Govt, have to meet the same standard as students who have much higher abilities.

Comments continue below

Clare | 7:15 a.m. Sept. 15, 2009

No Child Left Behind is mathematically impossible to achieve. Check the law and how it is mathematically computed.

NCLB is not possible. | 7:35 a.m. Sept. 15, 2009

When you do the actual math, meaning applying probability equations to the number of students in the country vs. the requirements of NCLB, you learn that No Child Left Behind is mathematically impossible to achieve. You have a greater chance of winning the Powerball lottery every day for a month than you do of even one large school district meeting the requirements of NCLB every year.

re Educrat | 6:00 a.m. Sept. 15 | 7:38 a.m. Sept. 15, 2009

“NCLB was to increase access to public education that was not happening for the bottom third. The top third were already getting it,"
________________________

Perhaps we are talking past each other. When I was younger students were not forced to take Algebra or Geometry. Now it is a requirement for all students. This was an attempt to lift all students who would otherwise not choose to take advanced math.

The problem is that now these classes have many students who really don't want to be there or are not prepared. These classes have been watered down in an attempt to accomidate these students, and the top students are no longer getting a quality math education.

Some schools such as my son's junior high offer honors algebra to counter this problem, the problem is that it too is now watered down. The word problems are very simple compared to what used to be offered.

With NCLB, the schools are forced to focus on the bottom students excessively. Unfortunately the schools apparently can't do justice to the best students as a result.

@ Educrat | 7:39 a.m. Sept. 15, 2009

Wow, are you serious? Are you even in education? My father who has over 40 years in education can't stand the nclb. If you say that it isn't dumbing down our schools, your only fooling yourself. You are probably the type that thinks that everything the government touches turns to gold when just the opposite is true.

Anonymous | 8:03 a.m. Sept. 15, 2009

Teachers laugh whenever NCLB is brought up.

Not Laughing | 9:05 a.m. Sept. 15, 2009

I'm a teacher - at home sick with the flu. I'm not laughing.

NCLB is based on a program the former president Bush instituted as governor of Texas. Since it was implemented, we've learned that the Texas numbers were cooked. The whole endeavor was based on flawed ideas if not on outright lies.

NCLB requires EVERY student to achieve mastery level. "We reject the normal curve," is it's mantra. It's a ridiculous law. Every child can not test above average.

What we need to do is learn the potential of each child and help them achieve it. Then, instead of "No Child Left Behind" we'd have "Every Child Achieves."

Teacher #2000000 | 11:00 a.m. Sept. 15, 2009

What about no TEACHER LEFT BEHIND??

That is a program we should think about.

opt out... | 3:08 p.m. Sept. 15, 2009

of NCLB and do what is best for Utah. Utah receives less than 3 percent of its education funds from NCLB and yet NCLB controls most of our education policy. We need to become self-reliant in education.

Flawed | 6:21 p.m. Sept. 15, 2009

Why should a child intelligent enough to become a brain surgeon be in the same class with someone who will probably go on to be a garbage collector or the like. Our present system is broken because we try to educate classes of students that can sometimes be as far apart scholastically as 8 or more grades. We need to start grouping kids according to their abilities.

Educrat | 6:25 p.m. Sept. 15, 2009

Place the blame where it lies for dumbing down our schools--with the policy makers trying to meet NCLB. If your school has abandoned your higher achievers and only focuses on the low, then go out and elect school boards and hire administrators that get education.

NCLB has a load of warts. It needs to shift to reflect what each child is capable of doing instead of setting the same goals for everyone. However, the educational establishment had long abandoned the ESL and Special Ed. groups and that had to change. If the schools have abandoned the higher achievers then the schools have failed a different group. When will school districts realize that students should be taught ON THEIR level. That is where NCLB should go next.

slc parent | 8:08 p.m. Sept. 15, 2009

NCLB was created to destroy public schools. There is no way to achieve the goals set by NCLB therefore eventually all schools will fail and then private companies can take over.

thats right | 8:32 p.m. Sept. 15, 2009

Let's go ahead and privatize the schools and then maybe then the teachers can make some money. at least what they are worth.

Realist | 8:59 p.m. Sept. 15, 2009

Public education is a direct reflection of society. A more effective initiative would be "No Family Left Behind". By the time some children come to school they are so socially, emotionally, and academically behind that the gap can never realistically be closed.

A total joke | 10:40 a.m. Sept. 16, 2009

NCLB and U-PASS are both very poor assessment programs. As a parent, I worry most about what is happening in my son's classroom on a daily basis. And then it becomes my responsibility to make sure he is improving and learning each year!

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