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Don’t dismiss goals of ‘No Child Left Behind’ so readily

    English teacher Peter Berger’s March 2 article, “Delusion of NCLB produces even more shortsighted remedies,” shouldn’t have blamed the federal No Child Left Behind Act for setting high expectations for the nation’s schoolchildren.
    Establishing a goal of proficiency for all students in core academic areas by the year 2014 is laudable and way overdue, not a “delusion,” as the author claims. Of course, schools should be expected to teach all children to reach proficiency — that’s their job. Unfortunately, it is only 2008 and teachers like Mr. Berger seem to have already given up hope of reaching this goal. Such low expectations by teachers are disheartening, to say the least.
    Worrying about schools narrowing their curricula to focus only on which subjects are tested is, however, a valid concern. Schools shouldn’t be taking a half-hour from, say, history and adding it to math for the sake of scoring well on a mandated exam. So what is wrong with simply extending the school day? Mr. Berger makes only passing mention of this reform, and relegates the option only for “students who need extra help.” But that’s part of the problem: Only one-third of eighth-grade students demonstrated proficiency in mathematics and reading in 2007 on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, commonly referred to as the “nation’s report card.” It’s clear that all students could benefit from longer school days and longer school years.
    Schools ought to be held accountable for what students learn, and properly designed assessments are a great way to measure them. Establishing a goal that all children, students from low-income families, children of color, suburban kids, can show that they have achieved proficiency in core academic subjects by passing these tests isn’t asking too much. In fact, we’re asking for it far too late, but it’s better late than never.
    Teachers such as Mr. Berger should stick to encouraging his fellow faculty members to do everything in their power to help students achieve mastery of basic academics, rather than lobbing baseless
criticisms of federal education policy.
B. JASON BROOKS
Clifton Park
The writer is director of research and communications for the Foundation for Education Reform and Accountability.

I dont think it should be called a goal,,,,more like a life style of learning.....why cant they pass that on.....all information cannot be 'hammered' into the kids brains,,,,they need the fire of desire lighted in them.....the ability to gleen info from life and put it to use, not just a fill in the dot test......