An article about a new study shows AGAIN much of the hoopla about Texas schools being the shining example that prove the wisdom of NCLB is … um … wrong!
“The study shows that Texas’ public school accountability system, the model for the national No Child Left Behind Act, directly contributes to lower graduation rates.”
Among other troubling findings is this one:
“What’s more, the study indicated that the higher the stakes and the longer such an accountability system governs schools, the more school personnel view students not as children to educate but as potential liabilities or assets for their school’s performance indicators, their own careers or their school’s funding.”
From an article in The Austin Business Journal
From an article in The Austin Business Journal
I would provide other quotes, but the article is very short. The study was done by Rice University and the University of Texas at Austin.
Learning is messy!
Blogged with Flock
Hey Brian,
Thanks for posting this…the unintended consequences of NCLB are something that run through my mind often. For me, those consequences include an incredible desire to teach a non-tested subject. While non-tested subjects don’t get the time or attention they deserve because of NCLB, I long for the days when “teachable moments” could be embraced.
As it currently stands, I feel guilty every single time I drift from my curriculum—no matter how motivating the topic is for my kids. Every single second has to be scripted. Otherwise, my “numbers” don’t look good and I’ve got to answer difficult questions about why I “failed” to meet my goals as a teacher.
A lot of the joy of teaching has been sucked out of my classroom because of NCLB.
Whew…needed to get that off my chest, I think!
Bill
Bill – feel free to “get it off your chest” here anytime!