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Highlands Today

States Are Scrambling To Meet 'No Child' Law's Requirements

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Highlands Today staff

Published: May 21, 2008

Just about everyone has an opinion on the federal No Child Left Behind law. Those opinions might change in the coming years as the deadline approaches that requires that all students pass state tests or drastic steps will be taken against schools, teachers and administrators.

It's nearly impossible to find anyone who faulted the premise of improving schools and making sure our schools were not failing our children. How that's achieved, though, is rife with debate. That will continue to be the case.

In states throughout the country, different measures have been implemented to meet the federal law that requires all students to pass the test by 2013-14. If not, administrators and teachers could lose jobs in schools with poor performance.

In Florida, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test was implemented to meet this deadline. Other states have similar programs. Some are tougher than others, but the idea is that when the federal deadline comes, students will be passing these tests. But 100 percent success is an unrealistic goal, and everyone knows that.

No reasonable person argues against ridding our schools of bad teachers and administrators. Of course we want them gone. But few reasonable people would put all the blame on schools and teachers for children failing in academics. So many other factors are at play.

If parents do a poor job instilling the importance of schooling, and being a part of their academic success, there's little teachers or administrators can do. The best teachers and the best schools will not successfully educate a student who doesn't care with parents who are absent. It's that simple.

As the 2013-14 deadline approaches, schools across the country are scrambling to raise standards to meet the federal guidelines. Some states started aggressive and continue to be so. States such as Florida started less rigid but have ramped up expectations. Other states are in trouble when it comes to meeting the federal law. They are hoping for reprieves.

Expecting 100 percent success is not realistic, and that standard must be lowered. If not, we'll be tossing aside good teachers and harming good schools for reasons beyond their control. That's not fair, and it's a poor way to improve schools.

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