There is a lot of talk in the education world about No Child Left Behind (NCLB). But what is it really? I found a pamphlet called “A Quick Guide to Understanding No Child Left Behind” published by the Center for Effective Parenting.
Here are my personal thoughts on NCLB…
Being a public school educator, I was personally affected by NCLB. Although I do believe that their are positive aspects of NCLB, there are a lot of things that are largely in error. NCLB has placed some excellent schools on probation due to a very small sector of students. That said, when making a decision about a school for your child, look at more than the data. Visit the school, sit in on some classes, and talk to parents who have had child go through the school. There is so much more to learning than just the numbers.
The parents at my sons school give glowing reports. You can't find a single one that has a negative word to say about it. The kids are engaged, they ask to go to school, and it's a very personal approach.
Oh wait, we homeschool. Hehehehe. Yes, I am not a huge fan of NCLB. I can see some of it's good qualities, some of the benefits. But I have seen, at least locally, so many of it's downfalls. We don't choose to publicly school, but that doesn't mean I don't want the absolute best schools for those families that do use them. I want all children to have the best possible education out there.