The Debate: No Child Left Behind Act

Natalie TierneyAPUSH, Period 5May 18th, 2011

A Chronology of Education Reformation

• Horace Mann (1796-1859)– Massachusetts Lawyer, Whig Politician, and leading educational reformer – Hoped that universal public education could restore

equality to a fractured society by providing all children a similar learning experience, which would advance them on the social scale

• Similar to Obama’s belief that with education reform based on high standards of student growth within individual school will better prepare students for college in addition to a brighter future (*1)

• Education Reform of the Cold War (1945-1953) – Military spending increased on scientific research that

occurred in universities• Promoted rapid expansion of American higher education in effort to

rise above Soviet powers overseas.

– Reason behind education reforms: National Security• Similar to President Obama’s Plan because both Reform

tactics are based on increasing our standards to reach or become better than those of other countries– in a video address to the public Pr. Obama recounted a recent

headline that said, “Many Nations Passing US in Education”– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cepVB66FeYo

• Lyndon B. Johnson’s Elementary and Secondary Education Bill of 1965

– Bill represents the Federal Government’s commitment and responsibility to promote both quality and equality of schools

– “we bridge the gap between helpless and hope” (*2)• No Child Left Behind is a modern day version of the

Elementary and Secondary Education Bill• Similar to President Obama’s plan because he wants to

“reshape the federal role in education to better promote responsibility, reform, and results” (*1)

• Different because Pr. Obama emphasizes state and local government need for education-reform power

My Thesis: A Solution?

• Problem: Should the Federal Government eliminate or revise the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001?

• My Thesis: The Obama administration’s option to improve former

President George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 will positively effect the country by raising the standards of schooling and thus potentially preparing a more stable future, for the country as a whole.

Bush’s NCBL Act

• A framework for bipartisan reform in the education system – The “‘cornerstone behind [Pr. Bush’s] administration announced

three days after inauguration of George W Bush • Increased Accountability for States

– All states have accountability systems based on challenging state standards – Schools who fail to make sufficient yearly progress will be subject to

restructuring and corrective action• Larger choice of opting to attend better school

– Public Charter Schools Offered: with transportation and 5% of funds from Title I • More Flexibility for States, Schools, & Districts

– Allow 50% of funds to be transferred to Teacher Quality State Grants, Educational Technology, Innovative Programs, and Safe and Drug-Free Schools

• Putting Reading First– Reduced identification of special education students (before third grade) who

cannot read

Causes and Effects Casues Impacts

- President Bush had a deep belief in public schools and a great concern that the neediest children were being left behind

- To improve the performance of America’s elementary and secondary schools while at the Same time ensuring no one is trapped in a failing school (ED.gov)

- faced economic problems while trying to lead a country through economic recovery as well as continue with the War on Terrorism

-Mandates extremely qualified teacher and holds schools responsible to increase the achievement of all students

- Increases the Federal government’s role in the manages of schools

- Sets a deadline: “By 2014, all students must be grade-level proficient in reading and math – as evidenced by their scores on annual tests in grades 3-8, and once in high school”

Obama’s Plan for Change

• The President’s Main Points of Concern– A fair accountability system that rewards excellence and shares responsibility for

improvement of schools – Flexible system that allows school administration to gain

power in education reform that is supported at both the state and local level

– Provide resources not only to schools that are performing well but help students that are most in need

Causes Hopeful Impacts

- Under the NCBL Act of 2001, in an effort for schools to reach high state scoring standards, States began lowering the expected state scoring on standardized tests, in order to receive funding for their schools.

-The United States has been falling behind other countries in their high standards of education by developing a narrow curriculum of reading and math only

-The Standardized Test provided in the US are insufficient bubble-in questions that can rely on chance or on the ability of a student on only one day of the year.

-All students graduate college and career ready

-Better systems to recruit, prepare, develop, reward, retain and advance effective educators - Continuation of Race to the Top: focusing on districts ready to implement and sustain reforms

-By providing resources and more flexibility to local schools, Schools allowed to have high-quality instruction for critical subjects that allow students to succeed in the 21st century

A Controversial Subject• Support

– Prominent Education Leaders• Executive Director of Council of Chief State School Officers, Gene

Wihoit, supports these changes because last several administrations concerned for student’s preparation for college and career

• Dr. Douglass B. Reeves tours US to understand and research state standards to see their benefits

• Opposition– “Wait and See” Attitude

• Many of the respondents of a poll of 115 district leaders want to wait to see what the assessments will look like in 2014 or whether the government will change direction (NewsUpdate)

My Conclusion

• In conclusion, I believe that re-writing the No Child Left Behind Act 2001 would eliminate some of the good qualities of the Act such as the flexible usage of school funds and the emphasis put on Reading.

• President Obama’s plans to revise only strengthen the NCLB Act of 2001 by providing more funding to schools that need more resources (which the NCLB Act would not previously provide for). President Obama also plans to improve American knowledge level in not only reading, but also math and science.

• The debate over NCLB Act Revision Process is happening right now, so there is no certain outcome yet.

Bibliography Text Sources: • Eisele-Dyrli, Kurt. "What 'No Child' leaves behind." District Administration 47.3 (2011): 16. General OneFile. Web.

10 May 2011.• "Executive Summary of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001." ED.gov. US Dept. of

Eduation, 10 Feb. 2004. Web. 18 May 2011. <http://www2.ed.gov/nclb/ overview/intro/execsumm.html>.

• Mantel, B. (2005, May 27). No Child Left Behind. CQ Researcher, 15, 469-492. Retrieved from http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher

• "President Obama Calls on Congress to Fix No Child Left Behind Before the Start of the Next School Year." 14 Mar. 2011. File last modified on 14 Mar. 2011. www.whitehouse.gov. Web. 18 May 2011. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/ the-press-office/2011/03/14/ president-obama-calls-congress-fix-no-child-left-behind-start-next-schoo>.

• "Remarks in Johnson City, Texas, Upon Signing the Elementary and Secondary Education Bill April 11, 1965." Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum. National Archives and Records Administration, 6 June 2007. <http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/johnson/archives.hom/speeches.hom/ 650411.asp>. Rpt. in Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States. By Lyndon B. Johnson. 1966 ed. Vol. 1. Washington D.C.: GPO, 1965. 412-414. Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum. Web. 18 May 2011. <http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/johnson/archives.hom/speeches.hom/ 650411.asp>.

Media Sources: • Obama, Barack, President. Discussion of blueprint for an updated Elementary and

Secondary Education Act to overhaul No Child Left Behind, the latest step from his Administration to encourage change and success in Americas schools at the local level. White House. 13 Mar. 2011. Youtube. Web. 18 May 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cepVB66FeYo>.

• Google Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2011. <http://www.google.com/ images>.

Two Primary Sources • "President Obama Calls on Congress to Fix No Child Left Behind Before the Start

of the Next School Year." 14 Mar. 2011. File last modified on 14 Mar. 2011. www.whitehouse.gov. Web. 18 May 2011. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/ the-press-office/2011/03/14/ president-obama-calls-congress-fix-no-child-left-behind-start-next-schoo>.

• Obama, Barack, President. Discussion of blueprint for an updated Elementary and Secondary Education Act to overhaul No Child Left Behind, the latest step from his Administration to encourage change and success in Americas schools at the local level. White House. 13 Mar. 2011. Youtube. Web. 18 May 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cepVB66FeYo>.

• Both of these sources come straight from the White House and this allows no room for other’s interpretations of the President’s message. It is also helpful to see the documents without criticism of the President’s option to change the NCLB Act of 2001. With Primary Sources, there is an easier opportunity to see a one sided argument of a certain subject.

Four Questions• How is the fact that President Obama wants the US to gain

more knowledge to surpass other countries’ education standards similar to the mentality of the US in regards to education during the Cold War?

• What 3 main points does President Obama want to change in the NCLB Act of 2001?

• Comparing the original NCLB Act of 2001 with President Obama’s changes, Which changes do you think to be the most important?

• Which of the three previous education reform subjects (Horace Mann, Johnson’s Secondary and Elementary Education Bill of 1965, Student Reform of Cold War) had the most effect on the Debate of whether to change or eliminate the NCLB Act?

Answers to Factual Questions:• How is the fact that President Obama wants the US to gain more

knowledge to surpass other countries’ education standards similar to the mentality of the US in regards to education during the Cold War? – During the Cold War, America had deep nationalism and though this nation

has to be the best. During the Cold War, education reform was occurring because of the research that was happening on college campuses.

• What 3 main points does President Obama want to change in the NCLB Act of 2001?– A fair accountability system which shares responsibility for the education

reforms, flexible system that allows school administration more power, and providing more resources to schools that really need them are three of the main changes President Obama wants to make to the NCLB Act of 2011.