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What NCLB has to do with it is that kids who fail are still being promoted because the schools lose money if they are retained.
So they get promoted and then put into additional remedial classes to help them catch up while still taking the grade level class.
I tutored math both at 6th grade and 8th grade and worked with students who failed their previous grade math state tests. In addition to their regular math class they had an additional math class (where I tutored) to help them catch up.
IMHO they should have been retained because you can't "catch up" and "get ahead" at the same time.
And these kids get to take the state test 3 times..3 times and they are still promoted (in Texas that is).
In arkansas we "tend" to fail them or march them off to special ed. However, there comes a point at which both options become fraught with problems.
Yes the Fed throws more money at it hoping it will improve but that's all the Fed can do.
Money is NOT the problem yet in our society we seem to think if you spend more it will fix everything.
Yes the Fed throws more money at it hoping it will improve but that's all the Fed can do.
Money is NOT the problem yet in our society we seem to think if you spend more it will fix everything.
I tend to think of federal money in terms of establishing control.
What NCLB has to do with it is that kids who fail are still being promoted because the schools lose money if they are retained.
So they get promoted and then put into additional remedial classes to help them catch up while still taking the grade level class.
I tutored math both at 6th grade and 8th grade and worked with students who failed their previous grade math state tests. In addition to their regular math class they had an additional math class (where I tutored) to help them catch up.
IMHO they should have been retained because you can't "catch up" and "get ahead" at the same time.
And these kids get to take the state test 3 times..3 times and they are still promoted (in Texas that is).
I agree with this. If a child cannot pass they should repeat and not proceed until they meet standards.
I agree with all the reasons in the OP, especially in regards to expectations. Many people do not expect black or Latino children to do well in school, not only their parents (most of whom in my experience do not even know what skills their children should have according to grade) but the teachers as well at many schools. Curriculums are dumbed down and in many of the predominately minority (black and latino) schools they are not taught the same material as other schools that are not majority black or latino. They are also less likely to have specialized curriculum like IB, Montessori, Waldorf and are less likely to be encouraged to take AP classes in high school. People think that they are dumb and treat them as such, not expecting too much out of them. Of whom much is expected, much is achieved.
I do not think it is about money. Money is not the answer, it is expectations and the materials. Also not allowing elementary students to be promoted when they have not obtained the necessary skills. These issues usually do not show up until middle school/high school because like PP said that is when children are left to do a lot of their work themselves. More is expected of them. When not much was expected of your previously, this will cause many students to feel that they are dumb and in return not expect much of themselves and just do enough to get by or befriend teachers and make them like them so that the teacher will pass them. This happens quite often.
I agree with this. If a child cannot pass they should repeat and not proceed until they meet standards.
I agree with all the reasons in the OP, especially in regards to expectations. Many people do not expect black or Latino children to do well in school, not only their parents (most of whom in my experience do not even know what skills their children should have according to grade) but the teachers as well at many schools. Curriculums are dumbed down and in many of the predominately minority (black and latino) schools they are not taught the same material as other schools that are not majority black or latino. They are also less likely to have specialized curriculum like IB, Montessori, Waldorf and are less likely to be encouraged to take AP classes in high school. People think that they are dumb and treat them as such, not expecting too much out of them. Of whom much is expected, much is achieved.
I do not think it is about money. Money is not the answer, it is expectations and the materials. Also not allowing elementary students to be promoted when they have not obtained the necessary skills. These issues usually do not show up until middle school/high school because like PP said that is when children are left to do a lot of their work themselves. More is expected of them. When not much was expected of your previously, this will cause many students to feel that they are dumb and in return not expect much of themselves and just do enough to get by or befriend teachers and make them like them so that the teacher will pass them. This happens quite often.
They have specialized curriculum only it's in the form of remedial reading, math and language arts. No way can you take AP Math or even Algebra when you don't know your times table or can't do long division.
There was an Algebra class at a middle school I tutored in and there were 8 students who had the grades to take that class..8 students out of 120 eighth graders had the grades/skill and the school did provide that class for them.
The reason there is a gap is because there is an unspoken assumption among progressives that blacks aren't intellectually up to par with whites and Asians. Its what George Bush referred to as "the soft-bigotry of low-expectations".
Truth is, blacks can compete academically with whites and Asians when the bar is raised and discipline and encouragement are given.
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