On Sunday, June 19, 2005, at 11:35 AM, Michael Atherton wrote:
There are many people who would prefer that the performance of the
schools not
be public knowledge. The major strategy of NCLB is to provide
public information which will then motivate educational reform
(and it is).
The major strategy of NCLB is to force districts to comply with
artificial standards for performance which has fueled a large remedial
intervention business on schools. It is a privatization effort that has
already reaped millions for Republican Bush pals in the private
tutoring business.
The imbalance comes from only looking at performance measures while
ignoring all other local conditions, which each district must deal
with. NCLB is quite cynical in its approach and it will have
deleterious effects on districts until the law is changed.
I think that it is the responsibility of the MPS to work with the
State to try and reduce the number of required tests. It's my
suspicion that the MPS use additional tests just for CYA. NCLB
left the details of test design up to the States (a big mistake in
my opinion), so the content and type of test is flexible.
In balance, Minneapolis has adjusted quite well to the irrational
demands of NCLB. There are enormous challenges facing the district in
terms of ESL students, a continuing stream of new immigrants, as well
as the prospect of uncertain funding for some time to come, thanks to a
deeply misguided governor who puts politics before children.
Best,
Laura
Laura Waterman Wittstock
Candidate for Minneapolis Library Board of Trustees
DFL and Labor endorsed
Minneapolis, MN
612-387-4915
www.laurawatermanwittstock.com
http://laurawatermanwittstock.blogspot.com/
Wittstock for Library Committee
913 19th Avenue SE, Mpls, 55414
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