My biggest concern is that there is the expectation that all students will
reach specific learning achievements by specified times. There will be
allowances for X number of students to be omitted from the school's scores,
but the requirements for those special needs students are so rigid that very
few students will qualify. I wouldn't mind so much if a 6th grader reading
at a 3rd grade level was allowed to test at the 3rd grade level, but it's
not looking like this. I believe that this "educational phase" will cause
many qualified teachers to leave in search of less stressful jobs. I know
that what happens outside the artroom sometimes seems irrevelvant, but when
schools become focused on teaching to the test the specials will not be
excluded.
~Michal
K-12 Art Teacher
http://www.geocities.com/theartkids
> I've been trying to figure out why No child Left
> Behind became so important and Goals 2000 is
> apparently irrelevant in 2003...
>
> I haven't read all of this thread because I get soooo
> frustrated and would much rather read about artists
> that I'll be teaching about...Is the bottom line
> really that there is grant money tied to No Child Left
> Behind and not to Goals 2000?
>
> Maybe this is obvious to everyone else - but I'm new
> to public ed and I am baffled about how decisions are
> made...
