The evidence continues to mount regarding the atrocities that have been foisted on the children of America in the name of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Researchers at Boston College studied trends in student achievement for ten states during the period 2000-2007, the period following introduction of NCLB and reported their results in “The Black-White Achievement Gap Revisited.” Our leaders continue to ignore the findings of studies such as this one and push our schools to narrow the curriculum in a mindless race to nowhere. Read the abstract of the study here.
The Black-White Achievement Gap Revisited
– September 17, 2010Posted in: Research
How many billions have been spent on NCLB, what have we done to our kids for the past ten years in the name of closing the achievement gap, and who is accountable for this terrible waste of dollars and human potential?
A reading of the full text reveals what teachers know from classroom experience. From page 6 – Concerns have also been raised regarding unintended consequences such as the narrowing of the curriculum, teaching to the test and focusing attention on those students whose perceived score is near but below the proficiency standard. These issues are certainly at play in Kennewick schools.
The report continues – The focus here is on whether there is evidence…there have been reductions in the achievement gaps and that the magnitude of these reductions is positively correlated with the strength of states’ reform efforts.
In the absence of such evidence, however, the burden must fall on proponents of test-based accountability to justify the continuation of this policy (NCLB).
In the discussion part of the report on page 42 – …the general picture is quite clear: The introduction of high stakes test-based accountability through NCLB has had, at best, a very modest impact on the rates of improvement…
Continuing – …we should not pin our hopes solely on the sort of test-based accountability enshrined in NCLB – it does not appear to be up to the job.
Washington State has squandered millions of tax dollars chasing this illusion of educational reform and Kennewick students are paying for the unintended consequences. It is important to begin considering appropriate changes in Kennewick to restore whole child education for our students.