Missouri Lowered The Standards
Some critics suggested that NCLB created incentives for schools, districts, and states to manipulate test results. For example, schools have been shown to employ "creative reclassification" of drop-outs (to reduce unfavorable statistics). NCLB also may have caused some states to lower their official standards. Because each state could produce its own standardized tests, a state could make its statewide tests easier to pass, thereby increasing test scores. Missouri for example, improved testing scores but openly admitted that they had lowered the standards. Critics also said that punitive measures against "failing schools" created incentives to set expectations lower rather than higher. Critics even said the legislation tended to increase segregation by race and class, to be followed-up by pushing low-performing students out of school altogether.
Other critics argued that NCLB caused teachers to "teach to the test", focusing all their efforts on things that they knew would be included in the tests to the exclusion of everything else. For example, the special focus of NCLB on reading and math might mean that other areas of learning, including music, art, or physical education, would take a lower priority or be eliminated altogether. But in 2006, a study by NAMM/MENC found that NCLB apparently had little impact on music education. According to the study, of those surveyed, 76% said NCLB had no effect on music education, while only 20% said that NCLB was having an impact on music eductation. But, critically, there was almost an even split between those who said NCLB was having a positive impact versus those who said it was having a negative impact. In fact, the balance swung just barely in favor of positive (51 percent to 49 percent).
While there may be some truth in these various criticisms of NCLB, none of them reflects poorly on President Bush. In his attempt to reform education, George W. Bush made a good-faith effort to establish a plan whereby schools would be held accountable for their performance, or lack thereof. His goal was to eliminate the "achievement gap" between wealthier suburban white students, and the less-fortunate urban African-American and/or Latino students. It was not his intention to see states lower their educational standards, or to have schools come up with "creative reclassifications". His intent was to motivate schools and teachers to get down to basics, and to perform their function of teaching. His intent was to "get results" and to "eliminate complacency".
On the other hand, educators and/or state employees may have succumbed to the temptation to lower standards, manipulate test scores, or willfully circumvent the law in order to achieve some advantage at the expense of their students' education. If such is indeed the case, then any and all of the blame lies with these so-called "educators" and/or state employees who thus chose to lie, cheat and steal. Laws such as NCLB may create "negative incentives", but no one is forced to break the law. When laws such as NCLB are written and enacted, it is assumed that honest citizens will make a good-faith effort to comply with the law, not to circumvent it for face-saving or financial reasons; and particularly not at the expense our children's education.
Other critics argued that NCLB caused teachers to "teach to the test", focusing all their efforts on things that they knew would be included in the tests to the exclusion of everything else. For example, the special focus of NCLB on reading and math might mean that other areas of learning, including music, art, or physical education, would take a lower priority or be eliminated altogether. But in 2006, a study by NAMM/MENC found that NCLB apparently had little impact on music education. According to the study, of those surveyed, 76% said NCLB had no effect on music education, while only 20% said that NCLB was having an impact on music eductation. But, critically, there was almost an even split between those who said NCLB was having a positive impact versus those who said it was having a negative impact. In fact, the balance swung just barely in favor of positive (51 percent to 49 percent).
While there may be some truth in these various criticisms of NCLB, none of them reflects poorly on President Bush. In his attempt to reform education, George W. Bush made a good-faith effort to establish a plan whereby schools would be held accountable for their performance, or lack thereof. His goal was to eliminate the "achievement gap" between wealthier suburban white students, and the less-fortunate urban African-American and/or Latino students. It was not his intention to see states lower their educational standards, or to have schools come up with "creative reclassifications". His intent was to motivate schools and teachers to get down to basics, and to perform their function of teaching. His intent was to "get results" and to "eliminate complacency".
On the other hand, educators and/or state employees may have succumbed to the temptation to lower standards, manipulate test scores, or willfully circumvent the law in order to achieve some advantage at the expense of their students' education. If such is indeed the case, then any and all of the blame lies with these so-called "educators" and/or state employees who thus chose to lie, cheat and steal. Laws such as NCLB may create "negative incentives", but no one is forced to break the law. When laws such as NCLB are written and enacted, it is assumed that honest citizens will make a good-faith effort to comply with the law, not to circumvent it for face-saving or financial reasons; and particularly not at the expense our children's education.
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