Fixing No Child Left Behind
December 22, 2011 at 11:47 pm in Accountability, GAN, News, Robert P. Casey Jr., Senate by Lisa 34 Comments
Fixing No Child Left Behind
By Lisa Nancollas
Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., supports proposed legislation to reform
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and further involve the federal government in elementary and secondary education. The bill has been read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pension.
Casey, who is a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee put out a press release on Oct 17 advocating several programs and initiatives relating to No Child Left Behind.
Under this proposal, children would be required to learn about green initiatives under the Green Schools Act. For example, children would learn about greenhouse construction instead of additional math or English skills.
Unfortunately, Casey did not respond when he was asked whether this was the best use of students’ school time.
However, Marc Scaringi, R-Harrisburg, who is running against Casey in 2012, stated, “The U.S. Constitution does not empower the federal government to regulate the area of education. Thus, according to the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the power to regulate in the area of education is reserved to the states or the people. As such, the federal Department of Education should be abolished and education policy should be determined at the state and local level. I believe education policy is best determined by parents, teachers, administrators and school boards at the local level.”
John Morningstar, coordinator of Bradford County Tea Party Patriots, opined that “requiring children to learn about green construction might be beneficial for those children going onto a trade after high school. But four – year college students would not gain anything by being required to learn about green construction, instead of focusing on additional math and English, which are fundamental skills required for college admission.”
Another change to NCLB would have teachers give an annual standardized test, instead of focusing on how each child is progressing on a monthly basis. In addition, teachers would devote about three months per year to teach children to pass the standardized test, forgoing additional math and English instruction.
John Morningstar emphasized that “teaching students to take a test is not educating students. Teachers need to work with students and their parents to educate students. Teachers should not teach or train students how to memorize to take a test. If we give teachers the freedom to educate, the world would be a better place.”
Unfortunately, Casey did not respond when asked if he believes that an annual standardized test represents children’s academic progress. Nor did he say whether teachers should devote three months out of the academic year to standardized testing, instead of additional math and English skills.
In November, the Huffington Post reported that 11 states have formally requested waivers from certain provisions of No Child Left Behind. As of November 30, Pennsylvania has not sought waivers, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Renee Palakovic, Chief of the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Division of Federal Programs, did not comment when asked whether Pennsylvania plans to request such a waiver. For more information on No Child Left Behind and its impact on Pennsylvania and other states, click here and here.
According to the Huffington Post, the 11 states that have applied for waivers have done so because they do not want a federal, one-size-fits-all remedy. They want to be able to cater to the needs of their localities. The states also want to be able to assess school progress using multiple measures, instead of just using annual test scores, per No Child Left Behind. For more information on the plan advocated by 11 states, see this article.
Greenhouse construction and an annual standardized test are only two of the changes proposed for No Child Left Behind. For more information on these changes and other changes, click here and here.
Reach Sen. Casey by e-mail or by phone: (866) 802-2833.
Lisa Nancollas covers Sen. Casey for Tea Party Patriots’ Government Accountability Project. She can be reached at lisa.nancollas@tppjournalism.org
There is no fixing Child Left behind it was a broken system from the start forcing states to pay for it for themselves with little to no funds given from the government.
So how did states pay for it?
They borrowed from Teachers pensions and in some states, they still have not paid back those pensions.
It will not be fixed until someone out there figures out how it will be funded.
NCLB is broken because it’s not funded? Really! Taxpayers in the cities and states pay to the federal government so they could decide how to give it back to us? I don’t think so. If NCLB is a failure it’s not because of funding. Let’s cut out the middleman and not get funds from the feds. It’s our money anyway. I’d rather not be paying my share and someone elses in another state.
Whenever and however the Federal Government gets involved in Education is unconstitutional and therefore illegal. It is a futile exercise to engage in discussions about illegal actions and decisions imposed by the Federal Government only because it is big, strong and it can.
NO REFORM, Congress needs to REPEAL. As the dept. of Education at the National Level is BAD, so is this “NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND”, This subject has been discussed enought. REPEAL
For God & Country
I agree, why put more money in the schools when half the kids don’t even go to school. That revenue can go towards someting else.
I’m not for wasting money but we need to make sure our kids have a future. Don’t cut funding because some kids don’t come. Some cows don’t come at feeding time, should we stop feeding the ones that do?
We have to engage the kids and educate them or our country is doomed.
The Constitution may not provide for federal involvement in Education but Obama’s stimulus sure did. It requires states to adopt Common Core Standards if they accepted the stimulus funds. Common Core Standards are based on the education systems of other countries. It also requires that kids be prepared for a new form of Governance being “global government”. Just google common core and follow the money.
They should re-name the program “All Children Fall Behind”. The program has made no progress and has cost the taxpayers billions of illegal, unconstitutional dollars, in addition to falling test scores across the nation. REPEAL>reform
That is ultimate goal of the elites, to “Dumb down America”
The Federal Government as it exists today is totally outside the original intent of our founders. It was, at the time of formation, a construct of the states, a place for states to co-ordinate the union between them. Now it has become a terrifying large and mostly unconstitutional entity totally dedicated to its own growth and power, not answerable any longer to the states or the citizens. The Department of Education is one of a number of bureaucracies outside of the prevue of our Constitution and needs to be dissolved along with its policies and its power returned to localities.
I think children in the public school system would benefit most from additional teaching of math and English rather than green initiatives.
No Child Left Behind is yet another liberal way to dumb down American citizenry. We must fight to give back education to our children.
Do some research. No Child Left Behind was started under George Bush, who is a Republican.
Yes, it was under George Bush (That’s why we need a real conservative in the Presidency.) In his defense, like Communism, No Child Left Behind seems like a good idea “in theory”. But it was a flop in practice.
This is ****** great!
http://www.ronpaul2012.com/
One of the top priorities of a real change in Washington should be the Total Elimination of the Dept. of Education. This is the head of the Snake along with the NEA. These entities are responsible for massive brainwashing of our children, turning out new generations of politically correct, anti religious, disciples of Socialism, destined to become the slaves of the Collective.
This Tragedy by Design….. has been far too successful in turning our children against America and the time trusted American principles that made this nation Great. No other front in the war against Socialism will strike as much terror and furor into the Left as a brazen attack on their hold on our public Schools and Colleges.
what we need is to start our own commericals while these two go at each other… I’m seeing the following commericals..
1. a commerical of nothing but owe-bama saying it’s bush’s fault for about 20 seconds.. then switching to him saying he (owe-bama) is only the president and he cant do anything unless the house and senate do it first.. then go back to (owe-bama) saying it’s bush’s fault… then screen goes black with the 5.8 TRILLION dollars spend by owe-bama. and you still dont have a job
2. as your tv show ends to commerical the screen goes black and you hear only VERY LOUD machine gun fire and women and children screaming… then the black and white photos fade in and show women holding what looks like dead children.. photos fade to the sound of machine gun fire.. more photos of people running away with police and firemen standing around.. photos fade away eric holder in front of congress saying that he didnt think calling and checking on the failed program of fast N Ferious was that inportant… fade to a picture of owe-bama laughing… then post the number of people that died and end with the photo of the murdered border guard
3. then senator owe-bama calling bush unpatriotic for having the debt he had and show a graph of what the debt was under bush vs. what owe-bama has spent.
5. show then senator owe-bama saying if i cant get it done in 3 years I should not be re-elected… then post 5.8 TRILLION dollars later and the housing market still in a downward spirl…. are you better off today that 4 years ago…….
I think a few of you people who have only started caring about this stuff don’t understand is that
1) No Child Left Behind was stared under Bush
2) Obama has tried to repeal, only to be met with a Republican firestorm
Mcglynn,
no child left behind was written by kennedy. as part of Bush “new tone” so while it might has started under Bush and DNC member wrote alot of it.. Not all… but alot
Well Obama has given waivers to various states so far.
@mcglynn, you should not be spreading crap. if you are not sure of something dont state it as if it is true…. to blanket Bush with a failure of a DNC member is wrong.
if you go back and look the parts of No child left behind that have REALLY failed are the parts that Kennedy wrote – not saying all that failed was Kennedy – but the parts that have gotten under people’s skin — written by Kennedy or his staff.
Look people the problem we have as a party is one we have created. it is time we call out the leadership of the party and let them know we are tired of what they are doing.
Boener is NOT our friend, instead of allowing the DNC and the liberals to define what we are and who we are. we need to take off the kid gloves and jump in the pit with the DNC and get nasty.
push things like this Guy – this is a you tube video and this guy has it right
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n64OY6XaxSY
another guy that does a better job than anyone in the house is going to explain what we are about it this guy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvLZ-M_HS-w
let’s take our hands out of our pockets and start explaining to people that WE are the party of Freedon.. we are the party of Progessive ideals – the DNC is a racist party that hates women, they have figured out how to make it look like they care while destroying everyone they “care about”
Vote Ron Paul!… Just one of the 5 departments he wants to get rid. Energy, Commerce, Interior, Education, and Housing and Urban Development along with reasonable cuts in military.
I agree with Paul’s plan to eliminate the stated Departments…but give the military a break! It is probably the only Constitutionally mandated service in the bunch, and the only place Dems ever want to cut. The military is getting clobbered! Would you rather pay out our tax money for food stamps and unemployment benefits for the unemployed…or for the manufacture of military equipment and pay? At least it would employ people. At least we would get something for our buck. I do agree with Paul that we are going into countries willy-nilly and with no real plan for victory. We haven’t won a war since WWII! We seem to have adopted a theory that war can/should be conducted and nobody gets hurt!!! If we’re not going there to win…just don’t go.
Thank You everyone for your comments on my article. Most of you have emailed me and I have replied back to you. If I haven’t replied to you I am sorry. You can email me at lisa.nancollas@tppjournalism.org
Santorum calls Obama a “snob” because he wants Americans to go to college. i get his point, but he has 3 advance degrees. I am a little tired of the pandering.
I don’t see how Santorum is pandering. To who? Obama’s assertion that all kids should go to college is ridiculous. Is he aware that huge percentages of kids, especially in depressed areas, are not even finishing high school? That many who DO graduate are still unable to read and do math at an acceptable level to get a job? He wants to send these folks to college? When I was in high school (the 60s) it offered auto shop, wood shop, metal shop, home economics, and business courses. Many who took these courses instead of college prep had stellar careers afterward. (And this was in a small town. We graduated about 120/yr. with few drop-outs.) By the way, have you seen what plumbers and electricians and auto repairmen charge these days…if you can even get an appointment?
Repeal NCLB it is hurting my childrens education. Get rid of the Dept of Education and let states provide what is best for the needs of their states children. Then if a state gets it wrong or presents curriculm or laws we disagree with, we have other options as parents. As it is now every school across the country is sub par. Schools do not have to strive to be the best or to be the school that others look to as a model. They are all the same stagnet, failing in real progress schools.
A good idea but whenever the government is involved it opens the door for waste and abuse by individuals. Our poor economy does not help and until parents are working again, it will be a tough road ahead for children. I believe children in public school should go to school all year if they are failing or doing poorly, teachers need to be held accountable also parents and students.
I know someone who was hired to teach several children in no child left behind.
She said the children weren’t just behind, they were “lost”. She was not allowed
to give homework or ask the parent to work with the child. Had the parent just
worked with the child 15 minutes a day, it would have made a difference. Every
parent talked about their kid going to college, but my friend said there was no way
this was going to happen given the circumstances.
No Child Left Behind was designed to hold school’s accountable. To a certain extent, it does, but what it was not designed to do very well, is ensure learning. Frankly, there is no way the central government of a huge nation can do this, no matter how well-meaning, no matter how much money is spent, no matter how dedicated every single person involved may be. Nothing is more local, or more personal, than education. That is why Tocqueville raved about the diversity of our schools and the decentralization of their administration, some 175 years ago. At that time, almost every American child learned to read, write and figure, even if many of them were taught by untrained teachers barely older than their very young pupils! So like the names of many pieces of legislation today, “No Child left Behind” has a misleading name. It should have been named, “No school gets away with doing absolutely nothing anymore.”
Maybe I should make it clear that I opposed passage of this bill, led discussion panels to analyze the Act once it was passed, and have never supported it!
People, lets get these social issues off of the website. No child left behind is not a TPP project. It reeks of division from within here.
YOu administrators should know that.