Diane Ravitch: Obama’s War on Schools

The No Child Left Behind Act has been deadly to public education. So why has the president embraced it?

Over the past year, I have traveled the nation speaking to nearly 100,000 educators, parents, and school-board members. No matter the city, state, or region, those who know schools best are frightened for the future of public education. They see no one in a position of leadership who understands the damage being done to their schools by federal policies.

They feel keenly betrayed by President Obama. Most voted for him, hoping he would reverse the ruinous No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation of George W. Bush. But Obama has not sought to turn back NCLB. His own approach, called Race to the Top, is even more punitive than NCLB. And though over the past week the president has repeatedly called on Congress to amend the law, his proposed reforms are largely cosmetic and would leave the worst aspects of NCLB intact.

The theory behind NCLB was that schools would improve dramatically if every child in grades 3 to 8 were tested every year and the results made public. Texas did exactly this, and advocates claimed it had seen remarkable results: test scores went up, the achievement gap between students of different races was closing, and graduation rates rose. At the time, a few scholars questionedthe claims of a “Texas miracle,” but Congress didn’t listen.

In fact, the “Texas miracle” never happened. On federal tests, the state’s reading scores for eighth-grade students were flat from 1998 to 2009. And just weeks ago, former first lady Barbara Bush wrote an opinion piece in the Houston Chronicle opposing education budget cuts on the grounds that Texas students ranked in the bottom 10 percent in math and literacy nationally. After two decades of testing and accountability, Texas students have certainly not experienced a miracle when judged by the very measures that were foisted on students across the nation.

more . . . http://www.newsweek.com/2011/03/20/obama-s-war-on-schools.html

So clearly a failure and yet privatization of our school systems persists.

If they can prove ALL of our schools are failing - and in 2014, when the 100% mandate hits, they WILL all fail - then the only solution will be privatizing.

They aren't listening to those of us who are telling them this is wrong, this won't work. And our kids are suffering. It's so unbelievably frustrating, I can barely express my feelings.

...is what is REQUIRED of us right now. P2b...you are the BEST at doing just that. :)

Here's Diane Ravitch's great finish...about hearing our VOICE:

Teachers see these measures as an attack on their profession. Recently elected governors such as Scott Walker in Wisconsin and John Kasich in Ohio are ratcheting up the attack, pushing hard to end teachers’ collective-bargaining rights, while Mayor Michael Bloomberg in New York City, Gov. Chris Christie in New Jersey, and Gov. Rick Scott in Florida would like to eliminate seniority and due-process rights for teachers. Destroying the unions will silence the only organized voice that opposes draconian cuts to education budgets. Without that voice, schools can expect larger class sizes and reduced funding for the arts, school nurses, libraries, and other programs.

Many of our nation’s top teachers—some with National Board Certification—are so disgusted by the attacks on public education that they are planning a march on Washington in July. They plan to demand equitable funding for all public schools, an end to using test scores to punish schools and teachers, and involvement of parents and teachers in the decisions that affect their schools.

The only question is whether President Obama, Secretary Duncan, and Congress will hear their message about what’s best for our children—and best for our country.

He wants PA teachers to open their contracts to accept a wage-freeze and wants to eliminate seniority protection.

I doubt if Obama and Duncan will hear teachers' message--- they have certainly turned a deaf ear so far.

THAT needs to be shouted from the rooftops!!

It's not about our salaries, our benefits, our working conditions. Those of us who went into this profession didn't do so for the wealth. We have always, will always put the kids FIRST. And draconian budget cuts are NOT WHAT'S BEST FOR KIDS!!!!!

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Yvonne. I've been thinking about starting a blog. Maybe I will. My Facebook friends are probably tiring of my preaching.

...you'll still be here. :) The part about tired friends reminds me of 2004-2006...I fowarded news articles relentlessly to family and friends to convince them we needed Dems in office. I finally had to stop (after 2008) or I'd have had no friends or family left. :7

I let my subscription lapse only because of their *relentless* shilling for the school "reformers" or "enterprisers" or "entrepreneurs" or whatever you wanna call 'em.

The " Chalkboard " cover was the proverbial last straw. Slanderous, outrageous nonsense.

I've never seen an opinion piece in that magazine that advocates reforming "reform". Or even any un-agendized reportage on the subject.

I don't buy hard copies of anything anymore. If I remember, I'll look in the library at school tomorrow.

I never hear people wanting to export what Massachusetts or Wisconsin are doing as far as education reform is concerned.

Who can even name the top states? Oh they know who sucks, but who is on top?

Thank you.

she says her students, who can't compete on grade level, are forced to take the same tests as the others...worse yet, they assess the entire grade level including scores from the Special Ed students...it's a travesty

Even worse, the system is considering moving to merit pay based on testing scores...my friend will never get anywhere and probably move backward

Yes our kids (except for 1%) take the same test as their grade level peers. And they bomb. Of course.

It's not just the grade level - it's the entire school. AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) for the entire school is based on scores of subgroups. They are:
special ed
free and reduced lunch
minority
ELL

If ONE of these subgroups doesn't score Proficient, the entire school fails. Every other kid in the school could get a perfect score on the test but if your sped kids or your ELL kids, etc don't score Proficient, the entire school fails.

It's the most messed up unfair scoring system imaginable.

And in 2014, 100% of the kids have to score Proficient. If even ONE fails, the whole school fails.

Just unreal expectations. And no one - not a Congress rep, not a governor, not our president, not even any of our education leaders - no one is doing a damn thing to fix it. We are expected to make sure 100% of our kids can ace this test by 2014.

They're classified ELL until they can speak English. That usually takes at least 2 years.

curriculum. Last week was a horrible week for him, day after day chained to tests that will not accurately reflect what he knows, because of his struggles with written words vs. audio. If the teachers could read the questions to him it would help, but they can not.

:cry:

Does the average senators?

That is why we have these problems.

I'd favor a law mandating the progeny of any elected official attend a public school in their district.


We'd see this problem fixed in a hurry.

But then, neither did I. And not only was I taught to support public schools, I chose a career in public education.

It's broadbrushing to paint the entire private school community as not supportive of public schools. And for security reasons, it's probably better for the president' children to attend a private school.

but if it affects the politicians in charge personally they are more likely to do something about it.

If they were forced to send their kids to the same schools the majority of Americans must send their children to I imagine the problem will be fixed pronto.

Well enough to play games with other peoples children, but once your own are involved it gets serious.

The March Please join people from all across America as they gather to participate in the Save Our Schools March on Saturday, July 30 in Washington DC.

The Save Our Schools March is being held in response to recent destructive “reform” efforts which have undermined our public educational system, demoralized teachers, and reduced the education of too many of our children to nothing more than test preparation.

Something must be done- and it must be done now!

The Save Our Schools March and National Call to Action is calling on Americans everywhere to demand

Equitable funding for all public school communities
End to high stakes testing for student, teacher, and school evaluation
Curriculum developed for and by local school communities
Teacher and community leadership in forming public education policies
The March will begin with a rally at the Ellipse, where we will be inspired, educated, and motivated by a broad array of speakers and entertainers. We will then march to the Department of Education, where the Declaration of Demands will be read. After the reading, the March will continue to circle back to the Ellipse for the final remarks and closing ceremony.

Please join in this opportunity to inspire meaningful change and be part of history!

http://www.saveourschoolsmarch.org/event_info/the-march/