NCLB

Throughout the last few Monday nights, we have heard the perspective of many different people who are in some way currently involved in the education system. Whether it be an administrator, a principal, a teacher, or a parent, each had an interesting and thought provoking perspective on NCLB. The most recent panel of parents was the most outwardly opposed to NCLB. And although they had some good points, I tend to think that NCLB is not all bad. Lowering general education standards or requirements will not help any studnets. This act puts pressure on schools to focus on improvement. I don't think that there is one correct way to accurately assess all types of children. However, as a future teacher I think it is appropriate to have some measurable standards. This holds not only students, but also teachers and administrators accountable. It is not ideal to give kids a number or a score to represent their current academic success. But what is the alternative? Taking away all measurable standards would lower the bar and school districts would be left with no accountability to the government. One of the arguments against NCLB is the fact that federal financial aid gets decreased if schools do not meet the standards. I hope that this does not have to be the case, but I also don't think it is fair that schools continue to get federal money whether they are effectively teaching kids or not. NCLB is simply calling for results in exchange for the money, and this makes sense to me. Moreover, NCLB calls for improvement in teachers as well. There are now higher standards in place that must be met in order to receive a teacher's license. I believe that having more rigorous requirements in order to become a teacher will help to "weed out" the ineffective ones, and get young, fresh, and "highly qualified" teachers into the classrooms. Raising the bar in all aspects of the education system is a positive thing. I think there is room for improvement and some revision, but overall, NCLB will continue to improve the quality of education that our children receive.