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I'll never understand that, either. And it's not just some parents insisting on holding kids down. It's the overwhelming preference of a certain political party to do so.
When Bush led the conversation he teamed up with Kennedy to implement "No child left behind". As we know, many have been.
it also has to do with dicipline. Private schools are not bound to the stupid guidelines like the public schools are. If there is a disruptive student in the classroom, the kid is immediately removed unlike public schools where the teacher has to play psychiatrist and get the disruptive kid to behave taking time away from the other students.
They are bound by their bottom line. Private school students can sometimes get away with a lot if they are "full pay" or the child of a donor.
When Bush led the conversation he teamed up with Kennedy to implement "No child left behind". As we know, many have been.
Words are nice, actions are far better.
There's nothing in NCLB that requires any school to hold any student down. It only requires a learning floor level, not a ceiling level. Public schools themselves have imposed the ceiling level limits to students' access to learning.
There's nothing in NCLB that requires any school to hold any student down. It only requires a learning floor level, not a ceiling level. Public schools themselves have imposed the ceiling level limits to students' access to learning.
No, it did nothing to improve our schools. They are still on the same trajectory they were on before NCLB so don't ask me to vote for a party that when they have the floor does nothing to enact real change.
and because of that, people like to pull their kids out of the public schools and place them in private ones knowing that the trouble makers will get the boot. It never used to be like that 30 years ago at least in Philly. The trouble makers were warned and then eventually ejected. Now we have these childless child advocates with their useless Phd's who scream and holler that "every child must be in a class regardless and its up to the teachers to make them learn".
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katiana
They are bound by their bottom line. Private school students can sometimes get away with a lot if they are "full pay" or the child of a donor.
First off you show me some stats that there are kids reading at the 6-8th grade level in 1st and 2nd grade, b/c frankly, I don't believe it.
Of course you don't.
Northwestern University's Center for Talent Development tests qualifying 3rd graders on the Explore Test (ACT), which is normally given to 8th grade students, and they frequently earn above average scores on the 5-years above grade-level test. Those kids didn't just suddenly wake up in 3rd grade being able to read at or above the 8th grade level. Our Program :: Northwestern University's Midwest Academic Talent Search :: Northwestern University
Northwestern University's program serves the Midwest. These programs serve other regions of the country:
Duke University's Talent Identification Program
Center for Talented Youth, Johns Hopkins University
Rocky Mountain Talent Search, University of Denver
Carnegie Mellon University’s C-MITES Talent Search
7th and 8th graders take the ACT or SAT and it's not unusual to see them blow the scores out at above the 95th-percentile+ for 11th graders.
So... those kids take those tests, it's revealed that they're functioning at multiple grade-levels above their supposed age-grade, we know they're FAR beyond the classroom curriculum, the schools know it, too, and then what happens? Are they grouped together in classes that are higher-level and faster-paced to match their educational needs? No. Can't have that because the slower learners will feel bad about themselves. So they're dumped into mixed-ability classes, learning very little to nothing year after year after year.
No, it did nothing to improve our schools. They are still on the same trajectory they were on before NCLB so don't ask me to vote for a party that when they have the floor does nothing to enact real change.
How many times have Republicans voiced support for school vouchers/choice? They can't DO anything because Democrats are too darned busy holding kids down.
No there is no guarantee but there should be standards that a school must meet to continue getting voucher money.
Agreed, though the problem with this is of course is government involvement. Often times, people far removed from the classrooms are the ones setting standards -- or simply changing them -- often erroneously.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pknopp
It's only a problem if the government picks and chooses. If they provide vouchers to the local Catholic church but not the local Muslim church, then indeed there is a problem.
100% agreement here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pknopp
I support public schools. As I've noted all through this thread there are hundreds of public school systems doing a great job. For those that are failing we have to do something to allow the families of kids who want better have a way to do that. I would consider the idea of firing poor teachers and administrators but then you are going to have to neuter the unions to do that.
I agree that families unnecessarily burdened by failing systems need a way out. I'm just unsure what that is.
However, I think people are quick to ignore sources of blame other than poor teachers & administrators in the name of either political correctness or mild ignorance. As I mentioned before, the quality of a child's home life has a very real impact on their academic performance. For the increasing number of children that go home to disengaged or criminal parents, firing their teachers clearly wouldn't be the answer, and, simply moving those kids to a different school may negatively impact the students who are already doing well in those institutions.
The other factor is that those making the educational decisions are often far removed from the classrooms, leaving the teachers to assume the blame without recourse. Districts will often spend thousands -- if not millions -- of dollars annually on everything but education itself. And much like our political system, the same sort of crooks are repeatedly reelected, and that is the fault of a disengaged and/or dishonest community.
In my experience private schools tend to do well because they can be student-selective, maintain smaller class sizes, and even mandate parental involvement. These things of course run in contrast to the public system.
How many times have Republicans voiced support for school vouchers/choice? They can't DO anything because Democrats are too darned busy holding kids down.
Sorry, Bush was able to push through the things he really wanted.
Education is enumerated in the Constitution as under the domain of the federal government where?
You apparently missed the fact that Cantor was challenging a LOCAL politician on his opposition to vouchers/choice.
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