No Child Left Behind Forcing Kids Out Of School

[cincinnati_liberal]

Now I know this is old news to many, however this is for the less informed. The NCLB rewards money public schools based on test scores. Like everything else the repukes do, this looks good on paper. problem is, many public schools are pushing challenged students out of school so they do not count against their test scores, hence preserving cash flow. Why the democrats haven't exploited this issue, like many others, I will never know. here in Cincinnati, many urban schools get such poor scores they receive NO funds, if any. Poor black students are even worse off than before and the rich white kids run away with the spoon. Write your congressmen and bitch, this is a big problem. Social Security will be no more in 2041 so at least give the kids an education so they know they're being fucked.

[LynnTheDem]

1. One factual error in your post; SS will STILL be available in 2041.

Social Security WILL NOT BE BANKRUPT in 2041.

It will still be paying at least 70% of benefits, assuming we DO NOTHING WHATSOEVER from now until then, although what SS needs in order to pay full benefits until the 22nd century would cost LESS than what we're NOW SPENDING IN IRAQ.

That is, unless bush is able to lie his way to gutting SS the way he lied his way to invading Iraq.

[cincinnati_liberal]

11. Forgive Me For Exagerating

[noamnety]

2. Can you give an example?

I'd like to hear an example of a single public school that receives NO funds.

I hate NCLB, for a large number of reasons ranging from a faulty way of measuring progress to being used as a justification to fund religious education with tax dollars; I can't and won't defend it. But that part of your statement seemed odd - if my school received no funds the school would be closed, but that is missing from your statement. If people are being asked to write to their congressmen using that as background for their email, it would be good to clarify that.

[Aunt Anti-bush]

4. My son's school talked to me about this.

Earlier this year at Southmoreland School District in Pennsylvania, the principal told me that they have to meet a certain attendance and have a certain level of test scores to be eligible for NCLB and state funding. They are pressuring parents to send sick kids to school sick and that I know first hand. I have had threatening letters about my son missing 13 days due to a serious eustacian tube infection in both ears that almost ended up in him being hospitalized. He has a doctor's excuse for all but one of the days he's missed and they're treating us as if we're criminal!

[noamnety]

5. yes, but that's not an example of NO funding

I'm just doing basic fact checking on that post.

In MI also, a school needs to have 75% attendance to receive full funding for the day. But that's FULL funding, if the target is missed, the funding is prorated.

I'm asking for an example of a school receiving NO funding because of NCLB.

[cincinnati_liberal]

12. Taft HS in CIncinnati

I meant no additional funds coming from the program, obviously they receive funding, it just comes from local taxes. In Ohio at least, ALMOST all money for public schools comes from local taxes, EXCEPT the money from NCLB. If the tests cores are bad enough the funding is next to zero. BTW, in Ohio law enforcement is also payed for by local taxes. 49% of local taxes here goes to LAW ENFORCEMENT. 17% goes to schools. :)

[cincinnati_liberal]

13. Oh and the poorest school in Cincinnati...

is named after the family of our Repuke governor, Taft.

[noamnety]

15. Ah, that makes more sense

That's just one more oh-so-pleasant aspect of NCLB, the poorer areas get the least funding typically, the rich districts get the most money. Another scheme to help the poor get poorer, the rich get richer.

[liberal N proud]

3. That is just it, they don't want them to know when they are fucked

If you teach them, then they can think independently and the regime does not want any more independent thinkers. That is the enemy of the repukes base.
Independent thinking people might also figure out that the president was not elected legally.
They also might not be disenfranchised so easily at election time.

[dbt]

6. Talk to any Teacher (who is worthy of the title) about NCLB

and get ready for an earful!

:evilgrin:
dbt

[forintegrity]

7. My hubbie and daughter are teachers

I hear about it all the time! It's teaching to the tests, not the kids. It has nothing to do with the kids. But that's no surprise...everything the repukes do centers around $$ and power and has nothing to do with doing good for the PEOPLE, least of all..kids!

So glad my kids are out of school and I pity those parents that are having to deal with all this. If it were my kids, I would very seriously consider home schooling!

Have actually thought about opening a homeschool for some of my friends kids (I have teacher certification that has lapsed over time).

[LWolf]

8. That's not the way funding works.

Not that "pushouts" haven't occurred to make test scores look better than they are; look to Rod Paige's tenure in TX first.

We aren't funded, at this time, based on our test scores. Although we may be headed that direction. My so-called governor is pushing to tie my job, and my pay, to my class' and school's test scores.

The pressure comes because when the scores don't make their goals for a couple of years in a row, schools are subject to takeover and disbanding. The state sends in so-called "experts" who are corporate shills to restructure and run whole districts according to their own agenda. It's happening in Oakland, CA right now.

For more info on NCLB, check out the education forum. You'll find a whole page full of threads discussing it in all its glory.

[elehhhhna]

9. Our Elem. School is doing the "practice test" this week.

The kids are told to bring PILLOWS. When they finish the test (they have all day to complete each one--reading, math, whatever) they must stay in the classroom and be silent. No recess, etc., so the kids who are finished by 10:30 a.m. have NOTHING to do-- no worksheets, no classroom instruction. They're told to bring a pillow so they can TAKE A NAP for the rest of the day. Mine bring books but how many 3rd graders are going to read for 5 hours after completing a 2 hour reading test?

Last year my girls were both finished before lunch so I sprung them early. The tension level in the school @ test time is ridiculous.

Yes this is Texas.

[radwriter0555]

10. Please. Without HS drop outs, how would the military survive?

It's an intentional cycle.

[cincinnati_liberal]

14. That's a really smart observation

Most people forget that almost everything has a reason and that reason usually has to do with money. Glad to know someone's thinking.