Do you think this is fair?

[Mini]

"No Child Left Behind" data Thursday, showing 53 percent of the state's schools met requirements while 47 percent failed to meet at least one of the standards.

711 schools statewide are on what's being called a target list. Sixty-two schools are classified as high priority because they didn't make adequate progress under the state's previous accountability system.

Schools that don't meet the standards for more than five years could be taken over by the state or be forced to shut down and reopen with completely new staffs.


That's for our state but..One of the requirements is that ALL disabled kids must learn stuff at the level their supposed to be in. As in they did a story on an 11 year old who's in 5th grade but he's only capable of learning at a 2nd grade level but yet he still has to do 5th grade work. I don't understand that, that requirement doesn't need to be there. Can't really explain what i think about it but i just think that's totally wrong to require a kid to learn stuff he can't.

[Quaker_Parrots]

Biggest problem is teachers passing them through, and not caring if they learned what they were suppose to. (and in some cases parents not caring)

[zitra]

Originally posted by taybai
Biggest problem is teachers passing them through, and not caring if they learned what they were suppose to. (and in some cases parents not caring)

ITA..if a child can not do work at the level of the next grade, they should not be promoted to that grade, until they can.

My brother had teachers who would pass him, even with all f's just becuase they did not want him in their class anymore.

[Maeryn]

Another problem is the obsession with standardized testing. There's too much effort put into increasing test scores and not enough on actual LEARNING.

[newagegirl]

As a 7th grade special ed teacher, we are having to look at this issue this year because accountability begins next year. Of the 11 kids in my class, not one is on grade level nor close to being so. The reason that they get passed is because their IEP's are written to their abilities (as it should be) so if they master a 2nd grade level, as on their IEP, they are passed. If these students are not passed until they reach their grade level skills, they will max out of public education at 23 still in the 3rd or 4th grade. They are not working for a standard diploma for the most part and they are learning, just not as a rapid pace.

The thing that gets me is that next year, I as a teacher, am accountable if they do not make progress on the standardized test (FCAT) which will be on their grade level. For the legislatures to think that this is possible, they are beyond hopeless in their thinking process. As a Masters level certified teacher, I will leave special education before my raise is dictated by how much my students gain on the FCAT. It makes no sense. They have already been tested, diagnosed, and shown not to be able to do grade level work. It is not their fault nor is it the teachers fault. Provisions have to be made for students who are on IEP's to ensure that they are still able to progress through school. No Child Left Behind is only going to have more children dropping out of school as soon as possible because they will not see the point in staying in school.

[ntgsmommy]

My problem with this is, for me, my son will never reach a kindergarden level, but yet they pass him along anyway...it's really no use to even keep in school, becasue like I say he will never master any abilities. I would very much like for him to, but I have faced reality, and know this. The only reason I feel he goes to school is for socializaion. The only class I believe he likes is music....
With the IEP's they are written in a way that my son will master them so they can pass him, like for example it was worded like "he will participate in a position program" well, of course he participates, so they master him on that..things like that...or they repeat the same goals over and over...I have just learned to deal with it.