Kerry is wrong about NCLB

[Cheswick2.0]

I was watching his address to Rainbow Push this morning. It was a recast I guess. Anyway he brought up the subject of the NCLB legislation that he and Edwards amoung others voted for. He said basically that the problem with it is that is not funded and he is going to fund it.
But he is wrong! The problem with it is that it is lousy legislation. I won't go into a detailed explanation of why. You can find 1000 threads on DU where other teachers have given every single argument about what is wrong with it. It simply needs to be ditched altogether and states or individual districts can come up with their own reasonable standards.
One of the things I like least about Kerry is his turn to the right and this is just another example.
Please, if you go to his blog or you work for his campaign let him know that his position on this is wrong. He will win the votes of many school teachers and administrators and school board members who might otherwise vote repug, if he would just adopt the position of Howard Dean on NCLB. I live in a very conservative area and everybody on both sides of the isle hates this POS legislation. We see what it is doing to our schools. It is a disaster.

[nickinSTL]

1. NCLB

I'm not a teacher, but I absolutely agree.

When I first heard about NCLB, I figured it was the first clear step by the Repubs to end public education in this country.

The idea of taking money away from failing schools, and then closing them AFTER YOU'VE TAKEN THEIR FUNDING AWAY is ridiculous.

Every teacher I know hates this legislation.

[Cheswick2.0]

5. I never understood why some democrats voted for it

But certainly they can listen to their base now and admit they made a mistake. I know no one in education that thinks this is good legislation.

This is a no brainer JK. Even republican voters think it's shit. It's safe to listen to the progessive base on this...PEOPLE OF ALL PARTIES WILL CHEER YOU.

[Sparkly]

15. I wonder whether it's about loyalty to Ted Kennedy

who worked hard on it. Personally, I wish government would steer clear of fencing in educators, who know their business better than politicians (or administrators, for that matter). The "higher up" or further away from the classroom these decisions go, the less informed they are, in my opinion.

As Paul Wellstone said, the tests are the MEASURE of reform, they are not The Reform!

[montanacowboy]

2. It's more of the Kerry "Me Too"

it's "me too" on the war, and "me too" on NCLB - with *'s ratings plummeting you would think Kerry's would be rising? they are NOT>

the reason being that he is "me too" - he needs to get off this track and start talking about a way to bring the troops home - finally the American public are realizing this was a wrong war, and they are READY for someone to help us out. The answer is not more troops, blah blah blah.....

Someone better whisper in Kerry's ear - warmed over * policies are not going to fly no matter what party espouses them now.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

3. Kerry needs to be much more visionary than Bush-Lite on....

defense issues!!!

[redqueen]

4. Is this helpful? --> Lessons Learned: Improving the NCLB Act

http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/100days/education.html

Lessons Learned: Improving the No Child Left Behind Act

John Kerry believes that the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act --ensuring that all students learn to high standards and closing the achievement gap -- are the right ones for America’s children. However, to date we have fallen short of these goals due to insufficient funding and problems with the law. Kerry will make important changes to the No Child Left Behind Act to help students reach high standards.


Judge Schools On More Than Just Test Scores.

Kerry believes that we need to consider indicators of school performance other than simply test scores. Kerry will revise the accountability standards in No Child Left Behind to include ways of assessing student performance in addition to testing. Under Kerry’s proposal, states will construct a set of leading indicators, subject to review and approval by the U.S. Department of Education, which will comprise part of the school's assessment in the NCLB accountability framework. Possible indicators include graduation rates, teacher attendance, parental satisfaction, and student attendance.


Reward States That Implement High Standards.

Kerry is also concerned that No Child Left Behind unintentionally rewards states and districts with low standards and penalizes those with high standards. Since schools, districts, and states are punished if they fail to make adequate progress, the incentive is to set expectations lower rather than higher. Kerry will work to include incentives in the law to reward states, districts, and schools that implement higher standards.


Ensure the Law Works for States, Schools, and Teachers.

John Kerry will also support reforms that give states and school districts greater freedom to target assistance to schools with the most extensive academic difficulties; ensure that the federal government provides funding for professional development requirements in the law; require that every single group or program that receives funding from No Child Left Behind fully complies with federal civil rights laws; and close loopholes in the law’s definition of “highly qualified” teachers.


--------

I highly recommend calling the campaign office and sharing your specific concerns directly.

[Cheswick2.0]

6. Nope

Kerry is wrong. It needs to be ditched altogether.
Please try to avoid my threads if you are going to be a conservative/kerry can do no wrong syncophant.

[donco6]

7. Too simplistic, Cheswick

NCLB is the means by which federal ed money is distributed to states. Programs such as Title I, II, III, etc. are funded through this mechanism. To say it has to be abolished will eliminate over $2,000,000 in funding to my small district alone.

I agree that NCLB is pretty much a POS legislation, but there has to be some mechanism to replace it. I can pretty much guarantee neither side of the aisle will vote for anything without some means for oversight, and without some specifications on how the money is to be spent. What those should be is the question.

I think Kerry's ideas are a good first step.

[Cheswick2.0]

8. I disagree

We can erase the legislation and go back to the way it was before.

[donco6]

11. No you can't

That would be NEW legislation, as NCLB abolished the old law. It just doesn't exist anymore. It's not like NCLB is layered on top of the existing law - it IS the existing law.

Besides, no one person can simply abolish it by fiat. There was plenty of support for it from both sides of the aisle, and if you're going to make some changes, you have to do it with some finesse and astuteness. Kerry has both, and would bring about some needed changes.

[redqueen]

9. *sigh*

We have one choice. You can rant and rail at the injustice of it all, but it won't do you any good. Reality is reality.

I'm not being a 'Conservative/Kerry can do no wrong syncophant" (sic), I'm simply tring to discern what parts of the legislation you have such strong disagreement with. Is it too much to expect a reasonable reply?

If you're not willing to spend the time to articulate the issues you have with the legislation, don't be surprised when people fail to address your (unstated) concerns.

[Cheswick2.0]

10. I really am not interested in discussing anything with you

What part of the "legislation is crap and needs to be scraped" don't you understand. Kerry is playing the same game he always plays which is nuanced fence straddling...which is why even though bush's approval is low, Kerry is gaining little if no grounds in the polls.

So frankly RQ, after seeing how you want to compromise on EVERYTHING to pander to the clueless, I just am not interested.

[redqueen]

12. I sincerely hope you're not doing any GOTV work

I understand your simplistic statement just fine. And I also see it for what it is: pointless.

[donco6]

13. Totally agree, redqueen

It's unfortunate that some can't understand that to get what you really want, sometimes you have to get by with what you'll accept.

[Fleshdancer]

14. I think Howard Dean said it best when at an Iowa town hall meeting...

Why would Iowa, who is rated as one of the top states in education want to accept an educational mandate from Texas that's rated one of the lowest states in education?

Stupid stupid stupid.