While the standards for schools to meet in the federal No Child
Left Behind Act, passed in 2002, are moving education in the right
direction, it is leaving behind the districts to achieve those
ends.
This is clearly evident in the recently released report in which
only 37 percent of the schools in San Benito County met its 2003
Adequate Yearly Progress mark set forth in the act. But, that
figure can be deceiving.
While the standards for schools to meet in the federal No Child Left Behind Act, passed in 2002, are moving education in the right direction, it is leaving behind the districts to achieve those ends.
This is clearly evident in the recently released report in which only 37 percent of the schools in San Benito County met its 2003 Adequate Yearly Progress mark set forth in the act. But, that figure can be deceiving.
If the federal government is going to hold schools accountable for every student, it must also provide the needed resources, and currently it is missing the mark in a number of ways.
Sorely lacking is funding for school districts to meet these lofty standards. With the state budget in the shape it’s in, San Benito County school districts have had to bite the bullet to make ends meet, making it more difficult to achieve the new standards.
Local districts have made cutbacks in personnel and have encouraged older teachers to retire early and not fill the vacant positions to save money.
But if districts do intend to fill the vacancies, the problem is compounded because of an ever-increasing teacher shortage, especially in the areas of math, science and special education where there are not enough qualified teachers to begin with.
And, not only are young people not entering the profession in the numbers they once were, districts must deal with an aging teacher population within the coming years, which will only add to the difficulties in meeting the standards of the federal act.
Also, the act has a provision that calls for “highly qualified teachers” by 2005, and most likely will require teachers to pass a test to prove their proficiency.
What happens if a large number of teachers fail?
The No Child Left Behind Act is full of good intentions, but it must provide the resources to achieve them.
The federal government, and state governments, should help young people get into the teaching profession by providing more financial aid and more assistance throughout college.
None of us want to leave a student behind, but let’s not forget the school districts in the process. Because it starts with them.
