On-line Petition for NCLB

No Child Left Behind is a federal law which has created the most sweeping changes in American education probably since public law 94-142 brought about much needed change in special education service.

Along with these sweeping changes has come a new federal control over education in our country. Has this new phase of "central planning" in education been helpful? Like most things it depends on who you ask. Educators critical of NCLB have been accused of being defensive and afraid of accountability. I heard a Wawasee teacher last week say, "I think accountability has been good, but I think the curriculum has become so focused (narrow) that I am afraid we are giving up a lot that no one is recognizing."

Clicking on this link will take you to an open letter to federal legislators seeking changes in the way NCLB has been developed and implemented.

If you agree with most of what you see in the letter you can click on the link to submit your name as a "signer" of the petition.

As a parent, if you are unsure of how the local educators feel about how the current form of NCLB is changing classroom practices, consider asking your own child's teacher or teachers how they feel about it.

Like most things in life there may be some good in NCLB, but there are huge unintended consequences that affect the curriculum and methodologies in the classroom. Educators are now pondering the question, "What is America giving up in its push to raise standardized test scores, and do we know if it is worth it?"

Recently there have even been calls for a required standardized national test AND required standardized testing in colleges. How much is too much? Does this type of "central planning" and government control promote or inhibit innovation and creativity, previously the hallmarks of American ingenuity?

Click here and read the open letter to federal legislators.