NCLB fosters mediocrity. Educational professionals are manipulated, harassed, and threatened by federal and state officials whose goal is to mold students into a specific pattern established by bureaucrats.
All time, money, and intellectual resources are aligned to expose the students to some skill expected on THE TEST. Enrichment for the accelerated learner takes a backseat to the ‘bubble’ student - those who have the greatest chance of passing the test, but are on the edge of failure. Thus, our Chopin, Einstein and Edison (s) will never bloom. We will become, ironically, a nation ‘left behind.’
Texas will pay 1 BILLION $ to a firm to develop our test that will command 8+ weeks to administer - which does not include the administration of benchmark tests.
GET Out of MY district!