Ditching (or Fixing) No Child Left Behind

So....finally..after many miserable years and immeasurable misery states are being allowed to opt out of NCLB. When the law was first enacted those of us with half a brain could foresee this day. However, it has taken far too much time and energy down with its existence.

What is wrong with NCLB? For starters, it was written by politicians without consideration for child development differences and even a smithering of knowledge of how and when (all) kids learn.

This law put every student in at least one sub group, and some students in many sub groups defined by race, ethnicity, language, ability, socio-economic levels, etc., all with the same expectations.

One year of progress for one year of schooling. It doesn't happen that way folks!!! That is all there is to it. Soon school leaders throughout the country were yelling about the inequities of the law. So... big brother "attempted to pretend" to hear their cries and added a few more little twists and turns.

The law never got better because the crux of the problem was never addressed.

Yes, all children can learn. But.... that is where it ends. All children do not learn at the same rate on the same scale to the same depth. Children with disabilities often have limits and abilities unknown to all of us. How can you ever pretend the write a law honestly addressing or measuring their abilities? That is what NCLB was portrayed to do.

Now remember in schools you have subgroups which include many subgroups of special education children --- EMH, TMH, BEH, LD, ADD. ADHD, Autistic -- the latest catch-all category for students who do not fit with any other exception.

Does anyone believe that these students grow and progress academically like regular ed students?? Only the writers of NCLB believed they did. Oh, by the way, do children all grow at the same rate???? Did your children have growth spurts??? Did they all happen at the same point in their lives??

So now, states are being allowed to opt out of NCLB so long as they (as states) have in place a state testing program as strong as or stronger than NCLB. Many states including NC already had that in place when NCLB was created. True, it has evolved and changed during this debacle.

It is time for politicians to get their fingers and hands out of education and allow educators to do their jobs without their interference.

Most politicians are elected by popularity rather than their "smarts." Sometimes it seems to me that it is by who is the dirtiest player in the game or the one with the most $$$$$.

Know what I mean???