‘No Child Left Behind’ law harms students
By Walter F. Naedele and Susan Snyder / Philadelphia
Inquirer Staff Writers
Originally posted March 5, 2004
The superintendent of the Quakertown Community School District, [James R.
Scanlon], told a Senate hearing in Washington yesterday that the 2002 No Child
Left Behind Act had been "destructive" to the children of
Pennsylvania.
* * *
Scanlon told the subcommittee yesterday that he was speaking for his 137
colleagues; together, they represent more than a fourth of the state’s 500
districts, with more than a third of the state’s 1.8 million students.
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At their meeting in Norristown, the educators said the federal law costs
hundreds of thousands of dollars to implement, places too much priority on
testing, and sets unrealistic goals for students to meet. They called for
better funding and asked that special-education students be exempt from taking
the mandated tests and that testing of students with limited English skills be
delayed.
The
law doesn’t place too much emphasis on testing. Educators do. The tests are a
proxy for the quality of the curriculum, the quality of teaching and student
mastery of core skills without which becoming a well-educated person is highly
unlikely.
When doctors treat patients, they don’t ask themselves, "What treatment
strategy will produce the best lab results?" They ask, "What approach,
within the context of the patient’s abilities and desires, will optimize the
patient’s goals for feeling better?" The lab tests provide objective data
to evaluate the patient’s condition and the effectiveness of the treatment
undertaken. They also help doctors to avoid the creation of conditions
detrimental to the patient’s health. Tests aren’t the goal. They provide
important information relative to reaching the goal.
The complaint about having unrealistic goals is nothing more than whining. It is
clearly unrealistic to expect to win every football game. That doesn’t prevent
teams taking the field with the intention and goal of winning each game.
The goal of being able to walk after a serious accident may be unrealistic, but
having a positive attitude and striving to reach the goal may produce better
results than never trying at all.
NCLB’s goal of having every child pass state-set standards exams by 2014 may or
may not be unrealistic depending on how high the bar is set by states. Assuming
the bar is set high enough to be meaningful, making it impossible for some
students to reach it, having the goal is essential to create a level of
angst sufficient to overcome Shangri-La complacency, bionic orthodoxy and
Cerberean defiance of change by government school workers.
Moreover, educators have broad discretion to interpret, define and disseminate
rules, regulations, data and results. Ever mindful of public image and their
noble cause, many are prone to sanitize any process or information that may
reflect badly on themselves or public schools. The more unrealistic the goal,
the more difficult it is for educators to control all the factors necessary to
create an illusion of success and avoid accountability through public and
political pressure. And even that is not enough because the system is so
amorphous that educators can take diametrically opposed goals–No Child Left
Behind and Every Child Left Behind–, change nothing and create the
appearance that both goals are being equally and successfully achieved!
Quite predictably, Scanlon and his friends are more interested in reducing angst
by changing the law rather than by working to achieve the goals. Economic theory
suggests people should engage in the practices where they have a competitive
advantage. Relative to improving academic outcomes, the competitive advantage of
educators lies in political power rather than education power. It’s simply
easier–more efficient and effective–to change the law than work toward the
desired results.
In effect, Scanlon is saying, "We’ll do better. You need to trust us,
assume you will get what you want and eliminate the pressure. It accomplishes
nothing."
Ironically, Scanlon is right for two reasons–one minor and the other
compelling. Educators have chosen to let NCLB divert their attention from
education to politics. It consumes time and resources in ways having no benefits
for students. That’s minor.
The compelling truth, however, is that the public school system of delivering
education services produces precisely the kind of outcomes it is designed to
produce. NCLB is an endeavor to make the current education delivery system
produce significantly better results. It’s futile. No matter how much you beat,
feed, pamper or genetically enhance a horse, it can never improve crop
production with a 10th of the effectiveness of a tractor. The biggest impediment
to improving education is the system and a passionate devotion to our
warm, loyal and faithful horse. The powerful tractor of educating The
21st Century Student simply isn’t as cute or lovable. It redefines what it
means to be a teacher in ways most educators fail to appreciate, if not fear and
despise.
* * *
After hearing the testimony, Specter said the law was sound but needed
modifications. Special-education students and students with limited English
proficiency should not be held to the same standards. "We need more
flexibility," he said.
The hearing comes as the subcommittee considers the proposed 2004-05 budget
funding for No Child Left Behind. The Bush administration has asked for $24.7
billion, an increase of 1.9 percent, or $463 million.
Specter said he thought the increase was reasonable.
James R. Weaver, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association,
testified yesterday that No Child Left Behind was "fundamentally flawed and
fundamentally wrong."
Weaver told the subcommittee, in prepared remarks: "I have had teachers
tell me the pressure on schools to meet Adequate Yearly Progress [a No Child
Left Behind requirement] in math and reading is so strong that they are forced
to abandon teaching anything other than what is to be tested."
But Paul Vallas, chief executive officer of the Philadelphia School District,
testified that the law rightly aims at closing the achievement gap between
majority and minority groups.
And, he said, it sets high expectations for all students.
"Sure, it’s not perfect," Vallas said after testifying. But
"we’ve been crying for a larger role from the federal government in
education.
"Now we’ve got it. Let’s
make it work."
* * * *