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Anyone left behind? Federal rules don’t answer the critical question Mention the words “No Child Left Behind” to a group of educators and you’re bound to catch an earful. Many will say it’s a noble effort and the accountability measures are important, but they will criticize the federal education reform law for setting growth goals so unrealistic that many schools will never attain them. As No Child Left Behind reaches its five-year anniversary and faces reauthorization this year, the debate rages on. Is the law working? Are fewer students being “left behind?” Mostly, local educators give the law a mixed review but say changes are needed. Initially, explains Orange County Superintendent of Schools William Habermehl, NCLB helped cast a much-needed spotlight on underperforming schools and struggling student groups like English-language learners who now get more help and attention. “Because of No Child Left Behind, you can’t ignore them,” he says. As time goes on, however, it becomes harder for schools to reach what local educators say are unrealistic growth targets that rise each year until 100% of students are proficient in math and English. To date, not one California school has reached that proficiency, according to the California Department of Education. And, in reality, it’s probably not possible. Improving, or not? Here’s the NCLB paradox for one county: Orange County schools are improving. SAT scores, API scores and high school graduation rates are up from five years ago, and more teachers than ever are fully credentialed. However, many districts, schools and students aren’t improving fast enough to meet the federal growth targets, so the feds consider them “failing” despite the gains. “It’s a one size fits all approach,” California Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell told OC Family Magazine. O’Connell and Habermehl say they will ask the federal government to set more realistic growth targets for schools and recognize those that are improving. O’Connell, Habermehl and others also allege that the federal government has not adequately funded NCLB, leaving schools and teachers frustrated. “They’re being held accountable and not supported,” says Habermehl. What it’s meant to do NCLB aims to improve the performance of K-12 schools by increasing accountability and giving parents more choices where their children will attend school. Key provisions include: • States must have accountability systems covering all public schools and students, annual testing for all students in grades 3 through 8, and annual progress goals that ensure every student reaches proficiency by 2014. If one subgroup, such as English-language learners, at a school is failing, the entire school is considered failing. • Schools and districts that fail to make adequate annual progress toward statewide proficiency goals will face corrective measures that escalate in severity over time. For instance, students at failing schools labeled “program improvement” (PI) can seek a transfer with transportation to a better public school in the district or get free tutoring from programs selected by the parents. • By 2005-2006, all teachers must be “highly qualified” as the law defines. • States must issue detailed report cards on the status of schools, districts and teachers, and schools must involve parents in the improvement planning process. The federal government says the law is working and cites multiple studies that show student achievement is rising across the nation, including for blacks and Latinos. Supporters also say the law encourages accountability, offers greater educational options for children and helps close the achievement gap between minorities and whites. Critics counter that the law unfairly penalizes schools for failing to meet testing targets when schools lack the funding needed to remedy problems, and that the 100% proficiency goal is impossible. Daily challenges Habermehl notes the challenge educators in Orange County face teaching the many Latino students who enroll here each year – some as late as the ninth grade – with little or no formal previous education or English skills. Educating them to meet standards, he says, “is an exceedingly difficult and costly job.” About 30% of Orange County public school students – some 150,000 children – are English-language learners, Habermehl notes. Of Orange County’s 589 public schools, 103 (17%) this year are “program improvement” under NCLB for not meeting growth or testing requirements; 52 schools have been PI for three to five years. Statewide, more than 20% of schools are in PI status. The Orange County district with the most PI schools is Santa Ana Unified: 40 of its 60 schools are PI despite rising test scores at most of those schools. Santa Ana Unified faces huge educational challenges: 60% of students are from low-income families and 70% are English language learners. Still, Santa Ana Unified Interim Superintendent Jane Russo favors NCLB’s accountability system and believes it has improved teachers and teaching tremendously. NCLB has made it easier to focus on individual students and find ways to help them, Russo says. She just wishes her schools that improve every year would be recognized for their achievements rather than be punished. “I believe in the accountability system, it’s just not a level playing field.” Penalized for improving Kristen Nelson agrees. Las Palmas Elementary School in San Clemente could be a “poster child” for what’s wrong with NCLB, notes Nelson, the administrator who oversees implementation of NCLB for the Capistrano Unified School District. Las Palmas is in its third year as a PI school but API scores have soared from 536 in 2000 to 731 in 2006 – a phenomenal jump of 195 points. Still, the school missed its NCLB growth target because two subgroups weren’t proficient in English. “It’s a real morale issue for teachers,” notes Nelson. It may get worse. If Congress doesn’t amend NCLB, many more California schools will be considered failing by 2014, says Habermehl, “and yet we’ve made substantial progress in educating our kids. There will be greater frustration.” Amy Bentley of Temecula is a regular contributor. |
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