Interesting… according to an article in yesterday’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a school at which I taught from 2002-2004 was required to allow students to transfer to another school because they failed to make AYP for two years in a row. I wish I could say I was surprised, but after being taken to task for having standards that were too high and being blamed for schoolwide discipline issues when they occurred in my classroom, I just can’t say that I didn’t see that one coming.
I have problems with NCLB, and for all I know, the high number of Special Education students and ESOL students at my former school scoring low on standardized tests may be the reason they failed to make AYP. Thing is, there are more problems than test scores at some schools. Teacher morale at my particular former school was extremely low. I was absolutely miserable there. Even though I disagree with many of the finer points of NCLB, I hate to admit that after the shabby treatment I received by administrators at my former school, it gave me a sort of grim satisfaction to see them fail.
I absolutely get the small satisfaction that comes when jerks don't succeed, the trouble is, when the school fails, that means kids are failing. And that is sad, no matter what! Of course, I can tell by the short time I've been reading your blog, that you don't mean the kids any "harm". It's just nice thinking that arrogant, self important administrators are losing sleep at night over their NCLB designation, right?
Yes, you're right. I don't want to think of the kids not getting what they need, but honestly, the reason they aren't is that administration!
Notice what is missing in all the official rhetoric about NCLB? Officialdom never mentions the need for parents and students to do their part if NCLB is to ever have a chance of success. Washington puts it all on the schools…
BTW, I'll be adding your site to the EduSphere. If that's not OK, please let me know. 🙂