No Child Left Behind
The No Child Left Behind act is up for reauthorization this year, and - surprise, surprise - there are some proposed ammendments. Most of the ammendments are still very test-centric, but I read about one in the New York Times today that seems to be moving in the right direction.
Several schools in New York state (and probably many other states as well) have shifted from comparing test scores to those of previous grades to comparing the scores to previous scores by the individual student.
What does this mean? It means that even though this year’s 8th grade test score is not an accurate representation of Johnny’s ability to discuss politics or facilitate literary discussions, it may be an accurate representation of what special help he needs to excel within his current school. Individual students are being moved into special education or advanced placement classrooms based on their individual progress, as opposed to their comparative progress.
It’s a start!
July 6th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Marli,
Yes, it will be interesting to see the final version of the “amdended” NCLB act. In reading your post, are you saying one of the proposed amendments is what some of the schools in NY state are doing? That would be almost too good to be hope for.
It would be a wonderful thing if NCLB made a paradigm shift that looked at individual progress, but that seems so contrary to what NCLB has been about so far. However, I guess anything is possible!
Maribeth
July 9th, 2007 at 7:58 am
Hi Maribeth,
Yes, it does appear that there is at least a movement towards turning NCLB into a more individualized program. Whether or not this will become something official in the ballots, but here’s hoping!
Marli
July 16th, 2007 at 5:55 am
Check out this assessment system. I attended a Discovery Educator Network (www.discoveryeducatornetwork.com) Summer Institute a few weeks ago and learned a bit about this system. It is called Think Link (http://www.thinklinklearning.com/). The assessments are linked to state tests, but there is so much you can do with the information–it is more than just a test. You can find strengths and weaknesses for an individual or class, you can see progress for individuals. For example, a child at the beginning of second grade might have the skills of a child who is half-way through first grade. However, if, at the end of second grade, the child shows that he is at the half-way mark of second grade, he has made one year’s progress (although still needy). I haven’t totally explored the program, and there is a cost involved for using it, but it certainly is an interesting way to look at and use assessments. I will never understand why we compare two different groups of children from different years to exmine if a school is progressing, and I will never understand the value in returning the tests to the children a year after they have taken them, which is what happens in our state.
I think there are many educators out there who have some wonderful ideas about how to best assess and use assessments with children. I hope their voices are heard.
July 16th, 2007 at 8:30 am
@Maryann
For example, a child at the beginning of second grade might have the skills of a child who is half-way through first grade. However, if, at the end of second grade, the child shows that he is at the half-way mark of second grade, he has made one year’s progress (although still needy).
Good point. I am reminded of stories of one-room school houses and (more modern-style) multi-grade classrooms, where students MUST be graded on individual progress as opposed to the state of the class! As a student I used to wish I could be with the older and younger kids, to get an idea of where I was in the grand scheme. And later, as a teacher, I wondered what might happen if more advanced students and more needy students were to partner. Teaching, they say, is the best way to learn a concept! (Imagine what might happen to the test scores THEN!)
Overall, that looks like a great tool. Do you plan to use it in the classroom?
July 16th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
There was an article in the Boston Globe today (July 16) about how the authors of the bill are rewriting it. There are many changes under consideration, including giving schools more options for showing student improvement, and not penalizing entire schools for the low scores of some students.
All parties seem to agree (finally) that it’s not simply a lack of funding that’s the problem, but fundamental flaws in the original bill. You can read the article online at http://www.boston.com
July 16th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
All parties seem to agree (finally) that it’s not simply a lack of funding that’s the problem, but fundamental flaws in the original bill.
How wonderful it would be if the authors of the bill, and those who “approved” it in the past, had open minds and actually paid attention to what educators and administrators had to say about how the NCLB act was not working - to learn from what didn’t work, and implement changes that would really support educators, schools and most importantly, student learning… and in the spirit in which NCLB was intended - which always at least seemed like it should be about the individual child, and how to best serve the individual child.
July 31st, 2007 at 7:41 am
Check this out!!
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-07/aera-tss073007.php
August 13th, 2007 at 1:07 pm
[...] A few weeks ago I found an interesting article on the renewed, and slightly altered, No Child Left Behind bill. The article looked promising. As the vote draws near, more and more is being written about it, and everywhere I look I find more stories, many from teachers, about the affects of the bill on technology and creativity, and therefore hands-on learning. [...]