The No Child Left Behind Act was proposed in the mid-1990’s, however; it was not until June 2001 when it got voted on, shortly after President George W. Bush signed in to law in January 2002. The No Child Left Behind Act was popular spite it’s many flaws. NCLB had strong intentions, however, there were many underlying issues that were not recognized until the act was put in to action.
When the Act was first introduced many people including parents and teachers were ecstatic. It was not until soon after that many realized and felt their children’s education was being shorted. One of the top priorities of NCLB was to reach 100% proficiency in mathematics and reading with all students enrolled in to the public school system by 2013-2014 academic
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These challenges are limitations of standardized testing, and the difficulty in comparing AYP scores across the nation. Standardized testing scores are not only a result of what the child knows, but the test scores are also influenced by their current health state, what their family background is, prior education, and what their economic status is. Another factor that may challenge the students testing ability is the testing conditions. Many students have a hard time focusing if it is noisy outside the testing room, if they are uncomfortable whether it is too hot or too cold in the room, and many other similar distractions. I can personally relate and do believe my test scores have had an impact, when I am not able to focus solely on the test I am taking and my attention is on the outside noises or temperature I get distracted therefore, I am not paying as close of attention to what is on the test. The other challenge that has come along is comparing standardized testing …show more content…
Shira Rubenstein a 3rd grade teacher in New York City stated, “We don’t fill out bubble test, or assignments, and we don’t think in bubbled ways” she then goes to say how even colleges don’t use a single form of testing when looking to admit students, “so why are just using one variable of testing with our youth” she continues to say that if we want children to apply something, we should make them apply it in its entirety, lastly she goes to say how standardized bubble testing is not appropriate for their age level. Rubenstein asked her class to write down how the felt before their standardized test, and if they felt prepared for it, the students replies left her in a draw, she was unsure of what to do because many of her students said how they were very nervous and that they shouldn’t be judged on how they perform on a single test, they should “look at our homework, or how we write” stated one 3rd grader in Rubenstein’s class. (Wilson,
Teachers have to focus mainly on the basic meaning of what the students need to learn instead of teaching the deeper and worldly application of the material being taught. In addition, every year each grade is required to make higher scores on the standardized tests than the year before. There is also the fact that the NCLB program holds children back. Those who are gifted or high performing students are not given the attention that they need, because all of the funding that the schools are given from the program is being used on programs to get all of the students to the minimum skill requirement, which is set by the NCLB. Also NCLB only focuses on math skills, English language skills, and eventually a science skill. This only elevates the scores for two fundamental skills that students need in today’s world. In focusing only on these few skills students lose the benefits of a broader education. Some schools in times of budget cuts have had to cut some of their classes so that they can focus on the subject areas dictated by the NCLB. Plus, some schools have done surveys and found out that high school students are lacking knowledge in the subjects of history, civics, and literature. Another point that people disagree with is the fact that the Act is requiring 100% of students, including disadvantaged and those with special needs, within a school to reach the same state standards in reading and math by
The No Child Left Behind Act, which passed Congress with overpowering bipartisan backing in 2001 and was signed into law by President George W. Bush on Jan. 8, 2002, is the name for the latest redesign to the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965. The NCLB law which was implemented out of worry that the American educational system was no more globally focused, significantly expanded the government's role in holding schools accountable for the educational achievement of all children. Furthermore, it put an exceptional spotlight on guaranteeing that states and schools help specific groups of children to be academically successful, for instance, English-language learners, Students with Disabilities (SWD), and socioeconomically challenged students, whose academic
The No Child left Behind Act was intended to close the achievement gap in elementary and secondary schools by allowing each and every student the opportunity to have the best education possible. This law was signed by George W. Bush in 2001 who described it as a law that will, “Ensure that all children have a fair, equal and significant opportunity to obtain a high quality education”(Neill 2). The No Child Left Behind Act was only intended to help the students, but it is clear, not only to teachers, parents, and professionals, that it is time for a reauthorized law; One that each and every student can benefit from. The achievement gap in America’s school systems still exists. For the sake of America’s future, the school system must make a change now or the future of this country will suffer.
Abernathy, Scott Franklin. No Child Left Behind and the Public Schools. U of Michigan P, 2007. eBook Academic Collection (EBSCOhost). In this eBook, Scott Franklin Abernathy, an Associate Professor of Political Science and a Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Minnesota, presents a balanced critique of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Abernathy argues that all policy makers must ask themselves “Can we ever really know if a child’s education is good?”, rather than assuming any test can accurately measure the elusive thing called a good education. Along with strengths and weakness of NCLB, Abernathy also presents many new models that law makers have been seeking to replace or use
No Child Left Behind (hereafter NCLB) was one of the largest and most comprehensive reauthorizations of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, created to “to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education.” That this legislation was monumentally important for the American education system, few researchers would dare to disagree — but this is where most agreement ends. Over 70,000 articles have been written on this legislation and it is easy to drown in the myriad of researched opinions on its successes and failures; there are almost as many opinions as there are articles on this topic.
For many poor, minorities, and other disadvantaged groups, the country has not made significant progress toward quality education for at-risk youth consistent with specific provisions outlined in the No Child Left Behind Act, failing the hopes of students and their families. When the NCLB Act was signed into law by President George W. Bush on January 8, 2002, it was supposed to represent a new beginning in providing quality school education to young people who come from low-income families and who have special needs. Its purpose was to close the achievement gap between groups of students in elementary and high schools. However, many school districts across the country are still having difficulties in meeting the
With the NCLB’s focused emphasis on English and math standards, other educational areas such as the arts and sciences have been overlooked. The No Child Left Behind Act also focuses on bringing the lower scores up and not helping in raising the scores of those students who are already at higher levels leaving these higher achieving students behind in a push for equality. Although test scores have risen and the achievement gap between minority and white students has decreased, the No Child Left Behind Act has damaged the United States educational system by not addressing the needs of all students, forcing curricula to exclude arts, civics, foreign language and sciences, and emphasizing testing and not learning. It is time for a change.
The American public educational system is filled with an assortment of problems. Most students are graduating with less knowledge and capability than similar students in other industrialized countries. Classroom disruptions are surprisingly common, and in some classrooms, nearly continuous. The public education system is having difficulty adjusting to the no child left behind act. The No Child Left Behind(NCLB) is a landmark in education reform designed to improve student achievement and change the culture of American’s schools.
The No Child Left Behind Act has an enormous impact on children and their families. Major impacts concerning families are standardized testing, transfer options and delivery of supplemental services. Concerns have risen questioning how beneficial are standardized tests. According to Michele Brooks, “many parents believe that testing is necessary to determine whether students have mastered the skills at grade level, while other parents fear that dependency on test results does not provide a full picture of student and school performance, and encourages "teaching to the test" instead of high quality instruction. The high stakes nature of testing in many states has also raised concerns among parents and education activists around the increase
There are too many external factors that could influence a child’s test score, yet, we’ve allowed standardized testing to determine a child’s future. “For example, test anxiety has grown into a subfield of educational psychology, and its prevalence means that the tests producing this reaction are not giving us a good picture of what many students really know and can do.” (Kohn, 2000) The high amount of value American society places on standardized testing can cause a high amount of anxiety, which can be associated with a fear of failure. “While the pressure to perform well can act as a motivator, it can also be devastating to individuals who tie their self worth to the outcome of a test.” (Test Anxiety) Test anxiety can manifest itself in the form of an anxiety attack, which can cause symptoms such as difficulty concentrating and brain fog, among a multitude of other uncomfortable manifestations. Anxiety, along with many other factors, can alter a student’s ability to display their full potential. (Test
In order to address how and why agenda setting of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) came about, it is important to begin with addressing the education situation of 1965. According to McGuire (2008), the Congress passed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
At its core “were a number of measures designed to drive broad gains in student achievement and to hold states and schools more accountable for student progress. They represented significant changes to the education landscape” (U.S. Department of Education, 2001). NCLB affected almost every public school in the US and introduced a level of involvement by
If there is one thing that all American’s can agree on it is that the education provided for our youth serves as the foundation for the continuation and prosperity of our nation’s future. On the smaller scale, the students that live and learn here in the state of California will become our congressmen, doctors, policemen; the future of our great state. The adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) was necessary for improving the education policies in place for the youth in California. For one, it replaced the failing academic system, the No Child Left Behind Act. Second, the CCSS drives students to build deeper conceptual understandings of course material and foster their critical-thinking and analytical skills. Next, the CCSS
In what follows I first provide a history and explanation of the NCLB act. As well as the thinking behind this piece of legislation. Then, I show how the NCLB’s rules and standardized testing are destructive to teaching. Finally, I argue how the act is leading to the overall downfall of our educational system.
Education is a key contributor to personal development social and economic growth. It is obligatory for a person to be educated and trained effectively In order to achieve his or her ambition. Educators and trainers play a leading role in the making of future leaders and champions. Such are the principal aspects, which led to the rise of the "No Child Left Behind" program in 2002. The program, which focuses on teaching practices, is meant to enhance excellence in students attending all education centers giving no bias to nationality, gender, physical, or mental disability (Berkhart 84). The program, which has been running for at least 1 decade, benefits many learners due to its remarkable contribution to academic excellence and skill empowerment in relation to establishing a brighter future for the young generation.