Reform the No Child Left Behind Act!
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was designed to increase school, district, and state accountability. It mandates yearly standardized testing in a system of incentives and penalties designed to continually improve school performance.
But ten years of NCLB have shown lackluster results. The law forces teachers to teach to the test, limiting what they can do in the classroom. Instead of students progressing and learning more, states have dumbed down their standards so that more schools can pass testing requirements and retain federal funding. This compounds the real problem: that U.S. students are falling farther and farther behind in reading, science, and math still compared to kids in other countries, including South Korea, Finland and China.
Something clearly isn't working. Sign this petition to encourage Education Secretary Arne Duncan to pressure Congress to reform NCLB to emphasize a more flexible and holistic approach to measuring academic growth!
Dear Secretary Duncan,
With its emphasis on accountability, teacher excellence, and reaching low-income students, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is an admirable attempt at educational reform. The threat of federal government intervention in low-performing districts can definitely spur schools and students toward achievement, and it is important to use scientific measures when it comes to assessing progress.
However, it would be an understatement to say that there are flaws in the current system. NCLB places too much emphasis on high-stakes tests that don't account for the complexities of our public educational system, creating unfair and arguably impossible timelines and goals. Additionally, NCLB promotes curriculum narrowing as teachers "teach for the test," and places too much of a financial burden on schools themselves to meet objectives.
Many states right now are petitioning for relief from NCLB's stringent requirements; for example, only one district in the entire state of South Carolina met its federal achievement standards last year. Federal lawmakers need to take a step back, gain some perspective, and redouble their efforts in designing sweeping educational reform that emphasizes scientific measurement and strong accountability, and yet allows for more emphasis on flexibility and expansive thinking.
