Another question on No Child Left Behind and developmentally disabled students....?

Before anybody gets their knickers all bunched up, I work in a high school with disabled students. How do they factor into this, many of these students are unable to take this test, which then lowers funding, as we all know that is what the standardized testing is for. Then there are some students who meet the criteria for the testing, have to take it, and get very low scores which in turn, lowers the funding the school can get. This all has a very bad backlash on the treatment these students get, as administration sees them as nothing but a liability, when they are really entitled to the best education we can give them. But education these days is centered on passing the damn standardized tests. Doesn't this seem extremely unfair and detrimental to the welfare of these students, who are surely being left behind?

As a parent of a child with a disability, I agree with you. I find standardized testing offensive no matter who has to take the test. My child has an IQ of 140, extrememly intelligent, but unable to pass tests. I think NCLB is unfair to all students. What is wrong with giving tests the way that children learn? That to me seems to be the best way of measuring learning. If that is what NCLB really wants to do. Unfortunatly, standardized testing is not about what children know, it's about money. The same can be said about the SAT. I have to say, I agree that the whole system needs to be overhauled....and dont say it cant be done, because it can. If we can drop bombs on people who havent done anything to us, we can overhaul the education system in this country....for all children, because they are our future.

I agree with you. As an educator you can suggest that these tests are unfair infront of your board and they should move it up the ladder. It makes sense for them to do this so that the schoold get more funding and that the childern get the education that they need and deserve.

America is all about making money... Why fund those who will never fund us is their thought. Public schooling is being thrown in the trash.

Same concept here. Working Americans fund elders with Social Security and health benefits... But who will fund us when we grow older?

As much as I agree with you the administration has been so bent on segregation and separation. Everyone wants to be treated equally right? Wrong. They think for the benefit of the majority except when it comes to other politics (Then they don't want to offend the minority) - The no child left behind was another failed plan in the many George W. has thrown in our system. I feel sorry for the next president..

No child left behind is not a good policy, it means that school shave to lower their standards in order to suceed in the policy. It only hurts those who are intelligent and could get ahead.

We have become way too politically correct, we do not allow children to suceed because we don't want to hurt those children's feeling who do not work to deserve to suceed.

I feel there should be some accountability for teachers and schools. Public schools have been able to hide for two long. Saying that, I agree that there needs to be exceptions for the learning disabled.
While on the subject of kids in schools. I personally feel that way too many kids are medicated for the sole purpose of making a teachers job more easy. I realize that there are ones who need the medication...but there are also many that just need some one on one education.

There are a lot of horribly "unfair" things about NCLB and standardized testing. There are also a lot of horribly "unfair" things about the treatment and payment of disabled students. Until the ENTIRE system is re-vamped and privatized, none of these concerns will ever be fixed as the federal government has to keep catering to the lowest denominator.

Unbelievable!! First of all the amount of money that tax payers pay for public schools is ridiculous. I too am not to fond of no child left behind but for much different reasons. We are spending way to much money and not getting the desired results. Schools have become a place for hand outs and babysitting. What ever happened to good old fashioned reading, writing and arithmetic? We need to privatize all schools and take the government completly out of it.