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Post by violettesmom on Aug 19, 2007 20:05:52 GMT -5
www.sptimes.com/2007/08/19/Columns/Progress_is_more_than.shtmlAs a new mama of a child with DS, I was wondering what your feelings about no child left behind. This article reminded me to ask you guys about it...is it a good thing? A bad thing? Overall good, but causing resentment from school districts and parents of typical kids??? Just wondering...
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Post by Chris too on Aug 20, 2007 11:51:52 GMT -5
You can read some pros and cons on this act online, but you asked what are our feelings. Assuming that you mean "what do we think" about it: I think it's another userpation on the rights of the states and local governments to govern themselves in all regards that are not specifically granted to the federal government. The fed has no right to govern this arena, that's why it's incentives are all in funding only. There is great incentive for schools to teach to the tests, and even to cheat to get the scores that will provide them more dollars. There is negative incentive for thinking outside the box to come up with solutions that will work locally to improve the education of the local students. Lots more, but that gives you an idea about what I think.
Also, don't think the act is about children with learning disabilities, it is about all children, across the board. Typical kids are supposed to be the benefactors of this act. It's the IDEA (title 7) that addresses the rights of disabled children to benefit from the public school system - though it just bowls me over that it needs to be written down in law - should be common sense that public means public (available to all citizens, not just some), and that equality needs to be defined to include the disabled (they are otherwise excluded from equality). So I do not see the IDEA as a userpation of local government rights, but rather an enforcement of the ideas of equality, already provided by our government.
Chris too
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Post by kerri on Sept 5, 2007 15:00:31 GMT -5
Boy is this a sore subject in our house! In NJ, at least the districts I know, no child left behind means children move up with their class whether they are ready for the next grade or not. State and federal testing is done at grade level even if the child is functioning far below. We had to take Yosh out of the public school and send him to a private program in the next town over because the kindergarten program for special needs in his old school includes 90 minutes a day of literacy, 90 minutes of math, science, social studies, textbooks and workbooks and individual research projects. Luckily, we found a class we love where he can stay in pre-k another year and learn at his own level. IMHO, no child left behind makes for inspiring speeches and great sound bites. There's a big difference between being left behind and placing a child in a setting where he can learn what he needs at his own pace.
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Post by CC on Sept 5, 2007 22:41:57 GMT -5
Hmmm I think some of it is good but not planned out right.
I have seen for sure it cause resentment from parents of "typical" kids. I have been to many a HSO or PTA meeting what ever you may call it and heard parents always blame the scores on ones with special needs or low income families...
I see the schools pushing so hard and spending sooo much time working with the kids to pass this test that so much time is taken away from the regular learning lessons, KWIM
But on the same hand I do think its good that schools be accountable and if a school is not doing good after 2 years then a parent has the right to send their child to a school that is passing...
Just my opinion but I feel that anyone that is classified and has an IEP should not be part of the school test results. I don't care if the child is mainstreamed, fully included or what... I don't think you can expect them to pull the same grades with the same work as a typical child I mean come on isn't that why ones have IEP's??
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