Well, the test results are all in. Out of 51 schools in the Fayette County Schol systems, 23 of them failed the federal testing standards as mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act. Now you would think that things would get better instead of worse. Yet, last year only 15 schools failed the testing. Of course, one cold easily make the case that this is the kind of thing that happens when you are stuck with an unfunded mandate (which on the face of it you would think would make the act unconstitutional).
Lexington educators have pointed out that this year, 90% of Fayette schools met 80% of their targets. But of course, that is pretty much irrelevant, when it comes to issuing sanctions. Thankfully, these sanctions only apply to schools that receive Titlle I assistance. That is to say, schools that receive federal aid for needy students. These schools must offer their students the option to transfer to other schools.
Well, that is one good part of the policy, probbly the only good part of it. On the other hand, I'm a big believer in the proposition that parents should have the right to send their students to any school they damned well please, and these schools should be obliged to accept them, with exceptions being allowed only for students who have a habitual discipine or other such problem.
Otherwise, there is an inherent problem with a policy that forces students to spend an appreciable amount of their time studying for a standardized test, and having to spend more time of the year in school as a result of being federally mandated to pass that test, a mandate which the government somehow feels not obliged to fund. Thee are a lot of problems with America's schools system, especially in the inner city and other more urban areas. But No Child Left Behind is really piling on, and causing more problems than it is solving.
I believe No Child Left Behind shouldl quickly go the way of the dinosaur. On the other hand, the dinosaur, from all appearrances, was a tenacous beast, so it may not go so quickly. But it will certainly go. It's only a matter of time.
