...Special Education and the Principles of NCLB Rebecca Foster AED/222 October 30, 2011 Paula Alysha Glover Special Education and the Principles of NCLB The No Child Left behind Act, (NCLB 2001), was designed to raise the standard for education in the United States. This act has five core principles that have been the foundation of the NCLB act which have each had pros and cons. States are responsible for being accountable for goal setting as well as for showing improvement of test results. The pros of this principle are that states have the authority to set their own goals, which is good because states have a better understanding of their population and their social economic factors that may affect test scores. The cons of states being responsible for their standards is that they have the ability to set their goals low to make it appear as though they are achieving better scores. Another problem with this is due to the varying local social and economic differences test scores may not be reflected fairly. Teachers are pressured to teach their students how to do well on the standardized testing instead of teaching for students to learn. The testing is also unfair because of the students with disabilities, students are discriminated upon because the state is able to make one percent of their students exempt to make up for these types of students. The NCLB act allows states and local officials to have greater flexibility when allocating where funds should go within the...
Words: 772 - Pages: 4
...Warren C. Everett| October 23, 2014| Initial Findings| Human Rights PS 459 The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) was drafted into legislation in hopes of substantially tightening the achievement gap in public education. Deriving from a concern about the efficacy of public education in America, the NCLB is meant to improve education in general, especially for minority students and also for students who have special needs (Ermolaeva and Ross, 2010 p. 33). The legislation is a junction of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and also President Bush’s strategies, which include: “Increased accountability for results from states, school districts, and schools; greater choice for parents and students, particularly those in low-performing schools; more flexibility for states and local educational agencies in the use of federal funds; qualified teachers in their subject areas; stronger emphasis on reading and mathematics; and scientifically based education methods,” (Harrison 2010, 346). The legislation was met with generally positive reviews due to its emphasis to remedy many of the factors, which have for centuries plagued the public education system. Yet, in recent years, the act is a hot button topic in debates among scholars, educators and parents. The NCLB has been praised for its initiative to fix the public education system and its advocacy for underrepresented students. Rhode (2012) says, “ No Child Left Behind represented an episode of bounded institutional...
Words: 997 - Pages: 4
...Behind Luisa Villalba EDU623 Professor Smith November 5, 2012 The No Child Left Behind act was put in place to help better educate America’s youth. The NCLB act shines light on our education system, and how our focus needs to be on educating our children. Explore what the NCLB act was intended to do its pros and cons, and President Obama’s fight to reform NCLB. In 2001 President George W. Bush proposed a federal law known as The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The law supports several federal programs intended to improve U.S. schools by raising the standards of responsibility for school districts, schools, and states. The law also allows room for parents to choose the schools they would like their children to attend. The NCLB act concentrates on increasing reading, and math sores nationwide. The objective of the NCLB act is that all students meet state guidelines set in hopes of students reaching their full academic potential. Funding for the NCLB act is divided into quite a few sections, or titles. For example * Title I, Part A focuses on obtaining resources for disadvantaged students. This is done by providing funding to bring qualified educators into the classroom. * Title 1, Part D ensures that children who are found to delinquent, or neglected receive quality education while in detention centers, or institutions. * Title II, Part A concentrates on bettering the quality of teachers, and principals. This title put great emphasis...
Words: 1089 - Pages: 5
...empowering community solutions through the non-profit organizations. Budget and spending is a concern and addressing the communities’ needs. The Economy by strengthening communities through hob creations and economic development, Public-Private collaborations for the public good, Promoting civic engagement, and Public accountability and ensuring public trust. Knowing the importance of education in today’s society I would have to say that the K-12 Federal Policy Issue of No child left behind act is very important. Who are the stakeholders and affected constituencies? A stakeholder is any person who will be directly affected by the outcome of a decision-making process. It is a term that is commonly used when talking about public policy decision-making or dispute resolution, processes in which representation of all affected groups is desired. Stakeholders are the investors of the said company or organization and their opinions do matter. Any decisions, changes, or business matters that can affect the overall balance of the company stakeholders do have a say so and need to know. (NCLB) or No Child left behind act is becoming very popular where everyone has heard...
Words: 1705 - Pages: 7
... Abstract The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) is a federal law that mandates a number of programs aimed at improving U.S. education in elementary, middle, and high school by increasing accountability standards. The aproach of NCLB is based on theories in education that high expectations and goal setting will result in greater educational achievement for most students. High standards for all students as well as educators are quality goals, however, using standardized tests to measure success is not the most effective method. Having high standards is a necessary part of our nation's success, it sets a high level of accountability and provides benchmarks for both the student and educators. Those schools that are categorized as performing poor are required to have supplemental asistance like tutoring, after school programs or even replacing teacher completely. Schools risk being restructured or even taken over by the state is after five years of not making adequate yearly progress. But standardized testing is an ineffective way of assessing individual student performance. This type of test gives reason to teach according to what is on the test, rather than for authentic learning. When using standardized tests there is no room to account for differennt learning styles and strengths of each student. Everyone learns differenntly but with this type of test doesn't allow for individuality. NCLB believes that boosting standardized tests scores should be the primary...
Words: 3103 - Pages: 13
...No Child Left Behind Act On American Education Education Essay Recently; main concern of teachers, parents and students has been devising ways that can increase test scores. Since the beginning of an implementation of state based NCLB standardized tests, there is an increase in expectations of the parents and teachers in terms of an improvement in test scores. However, these expectations can only be fulfilled when planning and implementation is strategic, while the reality of implementation of NCLB is on the contrary. This paper will describe pros and cons of “No Child Left Behind” act and its effects on American education system. Introduction Originally proposed by the Bush administration under US federal law in 2001, “No Child Left Behind” act was designed in order to provide funding, from federal governments, to different schools in all American states in order to make changes in learning capabilities of students. It was realized at the local government level that educational standards in schools in different states were not being considered for improvement, highlighting failures of local American governments. Various accountability standards have been defined under this law that gives the parents an opportunity to choose schools in which they want their children to be admitted. Thereby, rational that was followed while designing this law was that all children and students within schools would achieve their full academic potential because of improved programs provided in...
Words: 5208 - Pages: 21
...MEMO | EDUCATION Did No Child Left Behind Work? By Lanae Erickson Hatalsky and Stephenie Johnson | Published: 02/06/15 Are we about to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory? For the first time in more than a decade, Congress is moving forward on reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act—known in its previous iteration as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Voices on both sides of the aisle have proposed major changes, including tossing the annual testing requirement for kids in grades 3 through 8, as well as repealing the accountability measures that have allowed the federal government to require states to address failing schools and yawning achievement gaps. There is no doubt that NCLB has problems that should be addressed in a new reauthorization. But before we throw out NCLB and rewind to the policies of the 1990s, we should examine what, if any, effect the era of accountability ushered in by President George W. Bush, late Senator Ted Kennedy (DMA), then-Congressman (now Speaker) John Boehner (R-OH), and retired Congressman George Miller (D-CA) has had on student achievement. As we outline below, even a cursory look at the data makes clear that after decades of stagnant scores, the last 15 years of accountability have brought measurable gains for students across the board, and the biggest gains during the NCLB era have been concentrated among the kids who needed them the most. While there are still serious problems to confront and...
Words: 1932 - Pages: 8
...the writing section was added in place of the analogies (Fletcher). In 1959 an education professor at the University of Iowa, named Everett Franklin Lindquist, developed the ACT as a competitor to the SAT. Named American College Testing, the exam originally included a section that guided students towards a course of study based on how they answered questions about their interests. The test itself consists of math, reading, English skills, and also assesses students on their knowledge of scientific facts and principles. The test is scored on a scale of 0 to 36 and is considered more a test of accumulated knowledge, where the SAT is geared towards testing logic (Fletcher). While the SAT and ACT may be the first to come to mind when one thinks “standardized testing”, in today’s day and age, they are just part of a gauntlet of tests students may face before reaching college. In addition to the SAT and ACT, there are also the marathon four-hour long Advanced Placement exams. These tests, if passed and accepted by the university, can be used towards college credit for students who want to opt out of college-prep classes. There are also the PSATs, which are taken in the junior year of high school to prepare students for the SAT and are also used as an assessment for the National Merit Scholarship—and this is only covering high school (Fletcher). Upon the passing of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in 1965, there was a clear role created for the federal government...
Words: 1664 - Pages: 7
...learned this school year, so that state and federal government can decide if children, teachers, and schools measure up to government standards. While achievement and standardized test are meant to improve the quality of education by measuring the performance of students, teachers, and schools; they hinder our children’s education. “The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, signed into law by (former) President Bush on January 8, 2002, is a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the central federal law in pre-collegiate education” (Education week, 2004, Para. 1). The NCLB was put into place to enhance the public education system in America. NCLB stipulates criteria to improve the performance of students, schools, and teachers by evaluation through annual achievement tests. Determined by the results of the standardized achievement tests, schools are rewarded money from the federal government to implement and improve their curriculum. While NCLB is essentially for every publicly educated child, this law targets student groups with low level test scores such as: minority, English language learning students, poverty stricken students, learning disabled, or any student with a disadvantage that effects his education. The NCLB law required annual testing of all third through eighth grades in mathematics and reading by...
Words: 1843 - Pages: 8
...No Child Left Behind: Reformed Education By: Alicia Faulk University of Phoenix June 22, 2015 Rebecca Hewett President George W. Bush signed a new education bill that may change the way you learn at school (“No Child,” 2002, p. 4). Advocates saw it as a way to hold schools accountable and provide workable standards of proficiency in education (“No Child,” 2015). Even though the No Child Left Behind Act was passed in 2001 it wasn't signed into law on January 8, 2002 (“No Child,” 2004, p. 1). The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is to ensure that all kids receive a first class education, making sure teachers are highly qualified, and the schools accountability to ensure that the children are learning by test results. The NCLB Act is aimed at improving the performance of every public school (“No Child,” 2002 p. 4). According to (Sunderman, 2009, p. 547), education is typically viewed as a state and local responsibility related to core educational functions, but the NCLB move this relationship in the direction of expanding the federal role over states, while strengthening the roles of states over local districts. While the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) is the most significant and controversial change, the government assumed a major role in education in the 1960s (Sunderman 2009, p. 546 ). The new bill also requires all states to "set high standards of achievement" for students, and forces them to come up with ways to measure student performance...
Words: 923 - Pages: 4
...Federal Money and the “No Child Left Behind” law The “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001,” commonly known as NCLB, is a United States federal law that reauthorizes a number of federal programs that aim to improve the performance of U.S.'s primary and secondary schools. The NCLB Act incorporates the principles and strategies proposed by President Bush. These include increased accountability; greater choice for parents and students; more flexibility in the use of Federal education dollars; and a stronger emphasis on reading. In exchange for tens and hundreds of millions in increased federal aid, NCLB asked states to: Assess students in grades 3-8, and once during grades 10-12, in reading and math by the end of the 2005-2006 school year, using state-designed tests to certify that all teachers of core academic subjects are highly qualified by the end of the 2005-2006 school year, using state-set definitions to Assess students in science once during grades 3-5, 6-9, and 10-12 by the end of the 2007-2008 school year, using state-designed tests and to provide public school choice and supplemental educational services to students in schools that have been unable to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for two consecutive years. Accept nothing short of 100 percent student proficiency by 2014. State flexibility is a key element within NCLB. Each individual state is given the flexibility to determine a variety of factors, including the definition of proficiency, the starting...
Words: 2533 - Pages: 11
...(Lemay, 2006, pg 87). Federalism is further described as both a political and structural arrangement. There are varying approaches to Federalism as well as different models. Federalism has changed over the years as far as how much the “overarching” government has to do with the “subnational governments”. One such area is the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, aka NCLB. Many articles and books state that the No Child Left Behind Act was or is the most monumental education change or education initiative taken in decades (Simpson and Patricia). There are arguments for NCLB and against, and has been a hot bed for debate since the enactment of the legislation in 2002 by President G. W. Bush. Before we look at the pro and con argument of NCLB we must first understand what the change was for. The legislation was based on four simple principles; • Shift control to local and state districts • Increase accountability of schools • Increase funding of academic programs • Increase flexibility in school choice for parents It should be noted that each of these has many facets to them and are not simple by nature. The NCLB has mandated varying aspects in order to for the principles to apply. I will first look at some of the pro argument I have found in relation to this topic. First, test scores for proficiency have increased since 2002 and the proficiency gap between minorities and white majority has shrunk. Teachers are more qualified to teach the specific core topic. Nearly half...
Words: 856 - Pages: 4
...The Future of American Education: No Child Left Behind Finding common ground, the United States Congress passed an act in 2001 shortly after George W. Bush took office. Originally proposed by President Bush’s administration, the act “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB) received overwhelming bipartisan support. Originally intended to address widespread perceptions that public education was falling far short of expectations, the act has received much criticism. Indeed, almost ten years after the act was signed into law by President Bush on January 8, 2002 there is overwhelming evidence that the NCLB law is deeply flawed and is doing more harm than good in our nation’s public schools. Public recognition of the law’s shortcomings has produced a growing consensus of a fundamental need for overhaul. A new conception of the federal role in education needs to be addressed beyond standards, tests and punishment. Our nation’s schools need to be strengthened in order to truly leave no child behind, but how did such a promising law go so wrong? Reviewing the NCLB act there are many positive attributes: accountability standards are set and measured annually by each state to promote and foster educational growth and achievement; standards are set for teacher qualifications; reading, writing and math are emphasized; educational status and growth by ethnicity are measured to help close the achievement gap between white and minority students; schools are required to focus...
Words: 1245 - Pages: 5
...Views on No Child Left Behind Act “Change.” Change has been a word brought up often in this election. Obama promises to bring “change” to America. How are we going to change our education system? How do the candidates plan to change the education system? In 2001, President George Bush, reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, with his new piece of legislation, The No Child Left Behind Act. This was the largest reform of federal education policy in any generation. However, many believe this Act had little or no impact on Americans. Nevertheless, both candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, plan to keep the act intact but with their own revisions, and both parties stress the importance of every child receiving what they call a “world-class education. (Internation Reading Association: Reading Today: McCain vs. Obama)McCain’s key concept in changing the No Child Left Behind Act, is giving parents and their children the choice of any school through charter schools, vouchers, or tax credits for private schools, while Obama’s main focus is recruiting new teachers and paying them higher salaries; I believe Obama’s plan to reform the No Child Left Behind Act is a more productive plan, and that he has a better approach to reforming the No Child Left Behind Act. The No Child Left Behind Act, NCLB, was introduced on January 23, 2001, immediately after George Bush stepped into office. This act requires all public schools to provide a state-wide standardized test yearly to...
Words: 1617 - Pages: 7
...Left Behind Abstract This paper will take a look at the No Child Left Behind Act. It will explore its history, its goals, intentions, methods, and measures. This paper will also look at the effect that NCLB has on the ethical behaviors and decisions, and the various effects on curriculum, students, teachers, schools, and its effect on sub-groups of students involved. Introduction In 2001 Congress passed the landmark federal law, No Child Left Behind, (NCLB). President Bush signed the law on January 8, 2002. NCLB has been the foundation of the Bush Administration’s educational agenda. The four major components of the law are stronger accountability, more freedom for states and communities, proven educational methods, and more choice for parents. One of the purposes of the law was to require schools to pay more attention to a segment of the school population specifically, minorities and poor who were being left behind. The law requires that no later then 12 years after the 2001-2002 school year every student who attends public schools shall achieve academic proficiency as determined by state tests. Literature Review NCLB measures rely primarily on indicators of performance such as large-scale assessments and other objective measures of school success. NCLB requires all states to have core academic standards, and furthermore dictates that states will need to bring all students to proficient levels in language arts and mathematics by 2014. In the meantime, states...
Words: 1519 - Pages: 7
