News-Record.com

money without accountability? I would be surprised if this passes.. keep us informed!

debora,

"money without accountability?"

How is that any different with these people in this county than what we always get? When was the last time that you saw any accountability here for school spending?

Stormy,
I meant no accountability to the Feds, not us the poor citizen.

debora,

I understand your point, but really, these people want zero accountability to anyone. NCLB has some problems, no doubt, but if they had any integrity, they would just tell the feds, no thank you. But, they are addicted to money, regardless of the source. You will note, though, that every time we get a new program, they try to sooth you by telling you that much of the cost is covered by federal funds. The perfect world for these people is money with no accoutability. Unfortunately, the public schools have become a money pit.

The problem has always been what happens after the money from the feds runs out on certain programs.

I am a public school teacher. This is what I say:

1. Disband the Federal Dept. of Education.

2. Give $$$$ back to the states and let them handle education. Any power not given to the federal govt. is reserved for the states. Education isn't mentioned in the US Constitution, therefore it is a state function.

The bottom line is this:

Any meaningful reform in education will come from the bottom up, not top down. It must start with families and communities.

All I know is this: If you want something screwed up, let the feds deal with it. That's why NCLB must be repealed.

I remember having to take to state tests in elementary, middle, and high school, and I hated them but looking back I see that they are necessary for measurment purposes. For a school to opt out is ridiculous. I really see no benefit in choosing not to have your school measured and compared to others in the hopes to better the school. Visit the Careers and Education site for excellent career and degree information!

Glory and Hallelujah, get Bush and his failed NCLB project out of our kid's education and while we're at, get him out of the White House as well.

Lord Hear Our Prayers.

Jennifer, will you open a strand on the new revised graduation rates (74%)?

That's right Bubbie. Let's just have 0 accountability in our public schools. I don't agree with much of NCLB but at least it is putting some measures on our public schools and holding them accountable.

The law needs revised to make allowances for children that learn at a different pace and for children who don't have an adequate comprehension of English. The blame needs to be taken off the teachers. There is only so much a teacher can do as each child is different with a different level of intelligence. There are other children who refuse to learn.

On NCLB it might be helpful to ask if the pros of the legislation outway the cons. It is true that requires a higher level of accountability among states in return for millions of dollars in education funds. At the same time, it's not really true that one can draw meaningful conclusions from the test scores. The state changes the test and scoring rubric every few years, preventing apples-to-apples comparisons among different groups of students from year to year. Neither can you compare how students did in North Carolina compared to Virginia. And even if the tests were exactly the same, the results would still be misleading. I think the data is good for point in time comparisons. How did my child do at this school this year compared to other children at other schools? But year to year, it's a wash. Now we have new graduation rates which, while more accurate, can't be compared with graduation rates before 2006.

Morgan,

I agree and disagree with you here. On the one hand, I agree that at the present time, you cannot successfully or reliably compare Virginia's AYP test scores to those in NC based upon differing tests.

However, there is a "national" test that should be used universally in this country. Please go to http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about and you can learn about NAEP:

"The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as "the Nation's Report Card," is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas. Since 1969, assessments have been conducted periodically in reading, mathematics, science, writing, U.S. history, civics, geography, and the arts."

Using NAEP is an apples-to-apples comparison. I disagree with you that the results would be misleading.