Uniform is not a issue about clothes anymore

The entire idea of the No Child left Behind Act was to put all kids on the same level and advance from there. 5 years later, that goal seems even more distant. As the law stands right now, the states set the bar individually and give standardized tests according to that. This method has proven to be ineffective. The popular solution is to set a uniform standard for the nation, even though it has had some strong opposition in the past.

Republicans generally have opposed national standards. GOP lawmakers say state and local officials know what is best for their students and as the primary funders of elementary and secondary education, should have primary say in running schools.

This I agree with. I believe that, for the most part, local officials would know what is good for their students. However, as the current law has shown, the system is not perfect. Something does need to happen…but is it national standards? Education secretary Margaret Spellings has previously had a negative view of uniform standards but as of late, she has began to consider them a more plausible idea. The Democrats and advocates for a uniform standard are saying that the “patchwork” of standards is not working and is even making it on kids in states with lower standards.

Many Democrats, along with education reform and business groups, say a patchwork of standards is inefficient. They also say students in states with low standards will have trouble competing in the global economy. Many other industrial nations have more stringent standards than those in the U.S.Advocates of national standards say the No Child Left Behind law is encouraging states to set low standards so schools can avoid consequences that come with missing annual progress goals.

Going from a nation that has absolutely no uniform standards even suggested, to a nation that is constantly criticizing states with low standards seems a bit harsh to me. That’s like saying “Oh by the way, as of next week, if you can’t remember the first hundred numbers of  the number pi, you’re fired.” By doing this we’re not catching kids who are falling behind, we’re catching the administers who are having a hard time coping with this. On the other hand, there is merit to having schools held accountable for what they provide for their students. But overall schools do not know what to do with NCLB.

The discrepancies between state standardized tests and federal standardized tests give advocates of uniform standards a full chest to gloat from saying that this is proof that states hold lower standards.

A study by the Washington-based children’s advocacy group EdTrust showed 89 percent of fourth-graders in
Mississippi were deemed proficient or better in reading on recent state tests. Meanwhile, only 18 percent reached that level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress — the gold-standard of scholastic achievement in the
United States.

In Oklahoma, 75 percent of fourth-graders were proficient or better in math on the state test. On the federal test, 29 percent met that standard.

In Massachusetts — a state with relatively high standards — the gap is narrower. Fifty percent of fourth graders were proficient in reading on state tests, compared with 44 percent on the national test.

As a whole, if you couldn’t tell, I’m opposed to a uniform standard. I think there is no way that one concrete, set in stone policy can help our nation. I do believe something needs to be done but not this. However, I do not have a practical solution worked out yet so I really can’t say much more than just a overall strong dislike towards the idea of having students being judged nationally on something that might only work out in theory.

“Lawmakers prepare to review No Child Left Behind”

Associated Press

CNN.com

January 16, 2007

Full Article 

---