No Child Left Behind

[Anonymous]

Can anyone give any more info about NCLB? I am curious as to when it will be up for another vote? I think it is ruining our schools (specifically) ES and hope that it is at least going to be reworked soon. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I left an education membership group over the summer, but if I remember correctly, the EARLIEST it is coming up for a vote is next year, and probably won't be voted on until 2010 considering all the other mess the country has to deal with.

[Anonymous]

Wow, that's a long time. My kindergarten is coming home with homework where she is expected to answer questions and "cite" her resources. I don't think I had even heard that word before 11th grade and didn't need to do that until college. The fact that she is in school for 6+ hrs a day and gets homework is insane to begin with. The poor thing says that sometimes they don't even get recess (which is a crime on beautiful days like this). Will it ever go back to normal? I love kindergarten (half day) and am obviously not damaged by not learning how to read until Grade 1. Do any schools exist anymore where developmentally appropriate practices exist?

[Anonymous]

honestly? I don't think it is going to go away. I think that people are so fixed on testing and comparing schools that most public schools will be stuck with this mess forever. Now, the law may change and some of the restrictions will loosen (when a huge percentage of the schools in the country start "failing" in the next couple years or when they realize that 100% proficiency is absolutely impossible, whichever comes first), but we have become a results and numbers oriented society.

I think the original intent of standards for education was good, but the schools becoming so test-driven is a travesty. Kids need recess and arts and music education. The schools should NOT have to teach to tests - it stunts creativity for educators AND students.

Sadly, if you want to avoid the test culture, the only way to go is private/parochial. They don't have to meet the same standards as public schools.

[Anonymous]

I know I need to look towards private schools. Can anyone recommend one that is not test driven but actually responds to the needs of the children first? One that doesn't expect kids to be reading in kindergarten? One that has lots of time outside and going on field trips? One that teaches kids to actually think?

[Anonymous]

That would be most of them.

[Anonymous]

My parish (parochial) does that as well at a much lower cost than "real" private school if that is of interest to you.