An estimated 82 percent of U.S. schools could be labeled as "failing" under the nation's No Child Left Behind Act this year, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Wednesday.
The Department of Education estimates the number of schools not meeting targets will skyrocket from 37 to 82 percent in 2011 because states are toughening their standards to meet the requirements of the law. The schools will face sanctions ranging from offering tutoring to closing their doors.
more...If I am ever in a position where 82% of my students are failing, the first person I will blame is myself. I will ask: What did I do wrong? What can I do to change my approach? What can I do to change how I assess my students and change the meaning of pass/fail?
After that I will then turn my attention to my students. What did they do wrong? What can they do to promote their own learning? How can families support me and their children in the process?
The learning process needs to be as locally, culturally, and individually relevant as possible. Some of the language in No Child Left Behind restricts this. A failure rate of 82% points not only to failing schools, but also to failing policies, and failing families. We need to bring the responsibility of a complete education back to where it is most relevant. It's time to bring it back home.
No comments:
Post a Comment