Article: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jun/14/obama-proposes-plan-b-for-education-reform/
As time for the No Child Left Behind mandates slowly expire, a new education reform proposal has been suggested. This “Plan B” education reform would essentially give waivers to states to perform outside of the existing mandates of NCLB who can prove their systems are successful. While this proposal does place additional freedoms to perform outside of the stronghold of NCLB mandates, will it produce any viable results?
My first issue with the proposal is that it lets lawmakers off of the hook. Essential time is slipping away to refresh some of the NCLB mandates in continuing to raise test scores and boost student achievement. The idea that “states are gamers of the system,” reduces my faith that some states will continue to make gains with students, and in some cases lessens state accountability.
My second issue is that perhaps loose enforcement of NCLB rigorous standards are to blame for failing test scores to date. Lawmakers need to draft a proposal to reform NCLB mandates, giving additional time to truly make academic growth, instead of demanding high results without adequate means of truly achieving growth. I agree there should be some freedoms given to states to produce accurate results, but I don’t believe giving them autonomy of education policies is the best solution.
2 comments:
Oh, political backpedaling!
Did anyone think that NCLB would actually hit all its goals by 2014? Where were the education reformers then--the ones who actually knew how students learn? Heck, where were the people with basic common sense, who realized that hitting one hundred percent of the target within thirteen years was a ridiculous goal? No wonder eighty percent of our schools are failing (according to NCLB).
I find these waivers to be as incomprehensible as the original plan--“We have to have a high bar … but give [states] more room to get there,”--what does this even mean? The article explains the as-yet nascent Plan B as demanding proof of "student achievement" and "commitment to same." How is this going to be measured--how do you prove "commitment?"
Why does the government insist on rolling out reforms without first fully thinking them through? Is the prospect of Plan B helpful without its particulars?
The entire NCLB situation is depressingly laughable, but as ridiculous as all this is, I am surprised how many people don't seem to know - or care - a lot about it. People I consider to be well-informed just seem opinionless, really unanimated about this entire debacle.
The audacity of the 100% in 14 years wasn't a horrendous splash, and as Adi points out, it doesn't even take an educational expert to see the potential roadblocks that might arise to NCLB's success.
It seems that many other "issues" like foreign and domestic politics and controversial social issues incite thoughts and opinions out of spectators, but not so much with education. Hopefully recent rising awareness about educational issues will also bring about a greater sense of ownership amongst Americans over what happens in our schools.
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