A few years ago I wrote a synopsis on the No Child Left Behind act for an internet home schooling company. I’d like to re-post it here for those who aren’t aware of what it’s all about and also to review with those who do. But, mostly, what I would like to do is hear from those of you familiar with the program and see just how this thing has worked out and what YOU know about the Obama administration’s plans for it now. So please comment if you are able.
No Child Left Behind Legislation
In response to the continuing decline of American education in our country over the last thirty years, the Federal Government has responded with a 32 billion dollar answer in the passing of the No Child Left Behind legislation. This expenditure is historic in its quality and surpasses defense and human services spending with over twice the amount allocated. Built on the Republican precept of power at the local level, but responsibility on the national level, the funds provided will allow districts and schools to positively affect the students’ cultural experience of schooling. The local districts and schools will be allowed to choose and implement programs that directly address the problems being faced in their area. The efficacy of these programs will be reported yearly and progress monitored toward higher goals. Schools whose administrations successfully advance will be rewarded, while schools who fail to improve will meet with the possibilities of restructuring and re-staffing by the office of the Secretary of Education.
Annual assessments of school performance will now be made mandatory and replace legislation that only provided for permission, not federal backing of this type of testing. There will also be mandatory yearly report cards for parents to judge how well students in their area are improving and whether or not schools are succeeding. All states must submit plans to the Secretary of Education for future achievement. This achievement must be provable by student accomplishment. Students must show improvement in math and science and all students will be required to learn English.
Parents will be given information on which schools are succeeding to meet and improve standards and which are not. If, after a certain amount of time, advancement has not been met, students may be moved to another school of greater advancement and the district must provide transportation.
Scientifically based programs which have been proven to work will be used and available to schools and districts needing to participate. This will include programs such as the Reading First program for pre-schoolers, and after school programs for reducing drug usage and improving homework time.
In several of these programs with proven results, such as the Reading First and Early Reading First programs; there will be increased focus on phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and reading comprehension. The Early Reading program will help to start children off reading with cognitive and language development.
Other programs will provide Adult education, Parenting education and interactive literacy activities year round. These programs teach parents “how to teach” and help to improve the overall environment for the child’s development. Libraries will be staffed with qualified workers and literature will be readily available even to children who have difficulty acquiring it. Migrant children will be helped to plug the gaps in their education with the implementation of a national information system. The easy transfer of school statistics will assist the child in maintaining a universal standard for achievement. Delinquent students will receive priority in returning to school from correctional facilities, as they too benefit from the national information and standardized requirements. They will be kept in touch with programs and given re-assessment and challenges to meet the required goals.
The NCLB Act provides assessment of Title 1, Close-Up Fellowship program for new American teachers and students. This program uses scientifically proven strategies for meeting state standards and advanced programs for students who cannot pay fees for testing. Teachers must be “highly qualified” and trained to be visibly competent in a given subject. Schools must report on teachers and their students’ progress every year. Principles, too, will be better trained and mentored by other Principles. The fund allows for an increase in pay and incentives for acquiring and training principles.
Results must be reported as part of the overall report card. Teachers and Principles who work in over crowded communities will receive higher pay and more thorough training to meet the demand. Teachers will be better protected from litigation by law so that they may have a free hand in the reasonable use of corporal punishment to establish discipline in the classroom. If a teacher must reach beyond the reasonable use of corporal punishment, then the alternatives of expulsion and suspension will be free for the teacher to implement. Funds for those students who are expelled or suspended will be provide so that they can perform community service for a year and then return seamlessly back to the class room.
Other funds will go toward increasing math & science proficiency and training military personnel and/ or others who are well versed in a subject but do not have teacher certification. This training will at first concentrate on high need areas but eventually spread to all facets of the system. Various other areas will be assisted with funds ranging from help for the Alaskan child to the integration of the internet in a learning community for those who cannot reach technology otherwise. Programs which are scientifically based will be used to improve current curriculum while the total culture of the student is controlled and ordered with increased security and better qualifications for those guiding the child through the school years. Although progress should be slow a first, it is hoped that with the aggregate improvement of all systems, that much lost ground can be restored. The anticipated result is for American education to, sometime in the near future, show itself to be strong and competent once more.
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