No child left behind? More like EVERY child left behind!

Just had conversation with daughter about UFOs, constitutional ammendments, politcs, and education... yeah, strange mix, but it was just an organic kind of conversation.

In any case, we were once again surprised by the sheer amount of stuff that she simply doesn't know. Her response to our shock.. "If it's not on the TAKS test, we don't need to know it."

For those of you not in the know, the TAKS test is the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. It is the bar by which all schools, teachers, and principals are measured. If a school has too many students fail the TAKS, teachers and administrators get fired, among other things. This level of enforcement is a direct result of the "No Child Left Behind" legislation.

I took several standardized assessment tests through high school.. in fact, I HAD to pass the precursor to TAKS called TAAS in order to graduate. The differance was that if I failed, no teachers or principals were held accountable. Ultimately, it was up to me to be able to pass that test.

So what happens when you start holding teachers and principals directly responsible for whether or not their students will pass a standardized test? They do everything in their power to ENSURE those students will pass. At this point, every single assignment and every single lesson is taught with an eye on the big test. If it is not on the test, it is simply not taught.

And by way of legislation we have destroyed the American education system. Now that we have had a few generations of students leave high school with sub-standard education and teachers are quitting or retiring, there's not much chance of a rebound in the near future.

I would suggest that anyone who can should make an attempt to homeschool. It is too late for our daughter, for various reasons, but other still have a chance. Don't leave your child behind.

R.I.P. American Public Education

We can thank Jimmy Carter for this. He created the Department of Education on the federal level and it all went downhill from there. Reagan tried to shut it down but could not get it done. It does need to be shutdown completely and put education back on the individual state levels. Maybe Ron Paul if elected can fix the education problem simply by shutting the DOE down.

As a teen myself, I've been appalled for years.Thanks to "No Child Left Behind" they have social promotion. That means, even if you fail, you can get to the next grade. Because of this, I am stuck with children much to simple to be in a class that is supposedly advanced. The "Advanced" is not advanced at all! Some kids do not even know what appalled means. Its despicable, for myself to be in a dumbed-down class because they were promoted when they should've failed. I've had tests by the state confirm many of my levels (reading, writing, etc) to be at a college level since 5th grade. My teacher there wanted me to take the Macarthur genius test, but others in the school did not want me to. I also have been repeatedly been denied access to a higher level class, simply due to the fact that "no freshman could handle it.".
Give me the test, I'll prove them wrong! But they would not even allow me to receive the test. Ridiculous. I was using coherent sentences that said ".... is expendable, we don't need it." That was in Kindergarten. How is this helping the country, when they promote children who aren't ready, and hold back those who are ready to go beyond?? I constantly get reprimanded for asking questions such as these. They don't want us to learn ANYTHING besides what's on the AIMS (Arizona Instrument for Measuring Standards) test. They have told me, point blank: "We're not teaching this because it's not going to be on the test." And I have been given a referral for asking the teacher why something worked, and how it did, as I didn't believe what they said. A simple explanation would have sufficed to quiet me, but they won't have me knowing more than the other children, because it's "Not fair".

Were it not for books and resources such as the internet (reputable sites, for those who would say it doesn't count), I would be as ignorant as every other child.

i too have noticed this happening. my daughter got accepted into preschool yesterday and it makes me worried that what she learns in school is going to be based on a test rather than what she really needs to learn about it school. I went to a school where our teachers focused on regents exams, but i dont think it was to the extreme that the OP was describing. I did get a good education but now that im older i realize that i learn more from the history channel, other informational channels, internet, ect. than i ever could have in school. and that in itsself is just sad for our children who will be running our world in the future especially since its just getting worse. bottom line jobs and money>properly educating our future leaders.

This worries me. My oldest, is in kinder.

BUT, my son, an engkish speaking, mixed (black, white) child, is getting an amazing oppurtunity! The school district I am in, has a dual language program. He is learning spainsh. My son, from an english speaking home. I think its tejda-lee curriculim.

It works like this - they take english speaking, and spanish speaking students, mix them up in a classroom, they are taught alphabet in spanish first, then english, ect. This takes commitment from the parents, to remain in this school district until 5th grade.. A real commitment to the childs education. Seriously! I have learned with my son, my other younger children are learning and will be placed in this program.
It works like this
Kinder- 90 per of the class is taught in spanish, 10per eng
1st- same
2nd -80/20
3rd -70/60
4th - 60/40
5th - 50/50
by 5th, my child should be fluent en espanol, and at the same level as other 5th graders.

To bring this back around to the op, I am not sure how this works with the taaks, I will have to ask. But I "think" they are exempt until after 5th grade. I do know my son is getting tested every 6 weeks to follow his progress, so that if he isnt "getting it" they can put him in regular classes.
I will find out monday, thinks for reminding me! I hVing my son and other children, take advantage of this womderful oppertunity because we live in a heavily populated area of spani sh speaking people, and it will be invaluBle to thier future careers.

Please forgive typos, stupid droid, bad spelling is all mine :p

80 peercent of m,y youngest daughters class is Spanish, non-english speaking. The whole class is held back because they cannot seperate the non-english speaking students because it's "segregation".

In our high school next year all art classes are being cancelled. Art, choir, and other electives that allow personal expression.

Originally posted by tinker9917
80 peercent of m,y youngest daughters class is Spanish, non-english speaking. The whole class is held back because they cannot seperate the non-english speaking students because it's "segregation".

In our high school next year all art classes are being cancelled. Art, choir, and other electives that allow personal expression.

Segregation? Yikes, what state are you in? Here in south texas, they have basicly e.s.l kinder classes. And it goes from there. (english. Second. Language) its a choice, not considered seg. Im thinking the dual language my school district offers, is a different approach to the e.s.l. It puts them together, and they learn from/with each other.

Here it is absolutely needed. Sounds like its needed where you are to. But with them cutting art and such akready, it wont happen. I guess its up to us as parents to make sure our kids arent left behind

reply to post by chancemusky


if you're that intelligent then drop out of school now before they dumb you down.

many highly successful individuals in all sorts of fields never went to school or had little formal education.

a diploma is just documentation showing that you jumped through all the hoops required.

reply to post by DerepentLEstranger


Truancy laws, as well as never getting a job keep me from doing this.