Letter to the Editor: No Child Left Behind law nears deadline to implement

Congress doesn’t seem to agree on how to handle the unrealistic and unpopular “no child left behind law” that came into reality in 2001. President Obama sees the 2014 date approaching and he must be assuming he will still be in office. He added eight more states and Washington D.C. to the eleven who no longer have to abide by the main tenets of the unpopular legislation. It is especially unpopular with the N.E.A. and the W.E.A.!

The law requires schools to test students for math and reading annually in third through eighth grades and once in high school. States must have annual targets to pass the state exams with 100% passing in 2014. This is an unrealistic goal! Schools that fall below the mark face sanction, such as firing the entire staff or closing.

Proponents credit the law with boosting scores. Critics say that too many schools would not meet the standards. States receiving waivers must still test but they can design their own policies and they won’t be subject to school closings or staff firings. However, they must link teacher evaluations to student achievement. The clock is ticking.

It was lost recently announced that Washington was added to the list of states that can now set up their own testing as an alternative for no child left behind!

Gerald W. Ray

Spokane, WA