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State Testing and No Child Left Behind

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Educating students to be successful in college or in the workplace continues to be a source of concern for parents and educators at the state level. In spite of the testing requirements laid out in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (NCLB), test scores still vary significantly from state to state and fail to provide a consistently accurate national picture of academic achievement and students ability to compete.

A 2006 hearing conducted by the Commission on No Child Left Behind at Cambridge, Massachussetts listed concerns that are still timely. A major concern expressed during the hearing was the inconsistency of quality and rigor found in different state testing programs. There is also a widely held belief that in some cases these varying standards are an attempt to avoid NCLB sanctions.  Tied into the variance in state tests was the concern that it would be extremely difficult to accurately measure and compare the progress made between states.  Other participants stated that learning expectations set by some states do not match college and workplace realities. The hearing’s major conclusion was that schools need to encourage students to develop tests that encourage higher expectations and more consistent testing standards among the states. One of the suggestions offered was that national standards should be developed to place all states on a level playing field for scoring and analysis.

America is percieved by many eduators as falling behind in mathematics and the sciences – the fundamental skills needed for this country’s continuing leadership in the development of scientists and engineers in the 21st century. This is the challenge educators face and it begins in grammar and high school.

Filed Under: Education, General Tagged With: , ,

Preparing Kids for Standardized Tests

With the addition of the ”No Child Left Behind Act,” schools are focused more than ever on the results of state standardized tests. Because school funding is based upon the results, many teachers are encouraged to focus more on teaching toward the test, rather than concentrating on the concepts and theories behind the practical applications. Parents can help fill in the gaps by preparing their children for standardized tests, but only if they are prepared and willing to ask questions. Because public schools are forced to take these tests so seriously, they should be able to answer any questions that parents might have concerning the nature, subject material and testing procedures. Armed with this information, parents can work with their kids to help achieve a much better outcome.

Make sure your child understands the subjects and concepts that will be covered on the test, as well as the procedures for the test. For instance, you should encourage your child to take all of the time provided for each test section. Finishing early only means that he or she will have an opportunity to review the answers and check for errors and mistakes. Your child should also have an opportunity to practice taking similar tests prior to the big day. Reassure children that they are capable, remind them of previous successes and of their strengths, and encourage them to practice good study skills that will also help them prepare. Finally, sending your child off to school with a nutritious breakfast helps to calm the nerves and provide ample fuel for the rigorous mental challenges.

Filed Under: Education, Standards Tagged With: , ,

No Child Left Behind Program

The ”No Child Left Behind Act” of 2001 was signed into law by former U.S. President George W. Bush, and remains one of his most important accomplishments while in office. The act is designed to encourage standards-based evaluation of students and schools alike, and to force public schools to comply with and meet certain federal standards in order to receive funding. While many legislators claim that the act is necessary to ensure fair and equitable standards in education, teachers and parents complain that it encourages a number of less-than-desirable outcomes such as increased segregation in public schools, lack of attention for high-performing and gifted students, and an over-reliance on standardized testing to evaluate the progress of students.

One of the biggest concerns about the act is that it encourages teachers to focus only on the material that will be covered on the standardized tests. Spending additional time drilling certain applications means that there is little or no time to be spent on practical and theoretical implications. For instance, teachers may encourage memorization of addition and multiplication tables while completely neglecting any explanation on how those figures are arrived at. This can contribute to students who are able to add, but unable to apply mathematical concepts to word problems.

There is little doubt that the ”No Child Left Behind Act” is not completely successful in its aims, however, legislators have yet to define a better solution. While President Obama’s State of the Union address in early 2011 mentioned a renewed focus on the program and promised that attention would be given to fixing it, teachers and administrators continue to labor under a system that devalues exceptional performance in both students and educators.

Filed Under: Education, Student Tagged With: , ,