Adequate yearly punishment?

One parent's nightmare with No Child Left Behind
How educators can help parents understand NCLB

Helena parent Claudia Clifford was stunned when she read the letter from her child's school on January 20.

Signed by Central School's principal, the letter explained that Central's math scores didn't pass federal muster. Therefore the No Child Left Behind law required Central to help parents transfer their children to another public school in Helena if they chose.

"It's a complete disconnect," Clifford said. "Central has a great reputation and wonderful support from parents. It has dedicated teachers and a safe, welcoming community atmosphere. If you and your family are involved, you love this school. You're caught off guard by a letter about transferring your child."

"It makes you wonder"
Clifford has no intention of transferring her fifth-grade son, Alec. But she wondered what other parents might think when they saw the letter.

"It makes you wonder what other parents might be thinking," Clifford said. "They might be worried something is horribly wrong."

When Alec saw the letter, he worried that his school would be closed.

Of course, nothing is horribly wrong at Central School, or any of the other Montana schools that didn't "make AYP" this year. Central's math scores lag just one percentage point below the target. Its reading scores exceed the target by 34 percent.

Central implemented many special programs to improve teaching and learning in math.

This is not the first run-in Clifford and her family have had with No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Last spring, she and her husband had planned a family vacation around testing time, which meant Alec would miss the test. The school district pleaded with them to have Alec take the test before leaving town. If 95 percent of a school's students don't take the test, the whole school is designated as failing. Tough luck if a flu epidemic breaks out at test time.

This family's story is one of thousands around Montana and the U.S., as President Bush's NCLB law continues to alarm educators, parents, and children alike.

The law requires all public schools to demonstrate that their students have made "adequate yearly progress" based on results of standardized math and reading tests in grades 4, 8, and 10. The law penalizes schools that don't measure up.

"This is not going to help schools improve"
"We believe in accountability for schools and high expectations for children," said MEA-MFT President Eric Feaver. "But the law focuses on punishment and rigid federal mandates rather than helping schools. You don't help schools by punishing them. You do it by giving educators the resources they need to educate all their students."

Claudia Clifford agrees. "This is not going to help the school improve," she said. "This is demoralizing to parents and teachers who want to focus on helping the school."

In addition, she said, "The test is on just two subjects. It doesn't take into account that the school may do a fabulous job of music, social studies, and science, that it may have a great atmosphere for kids and parents."

"There is no way one test can measure a child's achievement and ability," said Feaver. "This law uses substandard methodology to try to push high standards. It is wasting billions of dollars on paperwork and bureaucracy. It is getting in the way of real improvements in classroom learning.

"We are more interested in finding the best way for each child to make progress and be prepared for work and life. We should focus on what we know works to boost achievement for all children-small class sizes, teacher training, parental involvement, and up-to-date books and materials."

"My concern is that this law gives a false impression of the quality of our schools and educators," said Superintendent of Public Instruction Linda McCulloch.

A parent's advice to educators
MEA-MFT and its national affiliates continue to prod federal officials to fix and fund NCLB. In the meantime, it remains the law of the land.

Montana teachers and school employees are all too well acquainted with NCLB's inequities. (If you need a refresher, read more at www.mea-mft.org/ESEA1.htm). But many parents aren't.

Receiving a bureaucratic-sounding letter from her child's school about transferring her child to another school was a disturbing experience for Helena parent Claudia Clifford. No doubt it was also disturbing for the school principal to have to send the letter, as required by the federal government.

As an educator, you can help parents understand There are many things educators can do is help parents and others understand mysteries such as the letter Central School had to send its parents.

What can MEA-MFT members do to ease the shock for parents and help them understand the requirements of No Child Left Behind, "adequate yearly progress," and other mysteries? Here's what Clifford recommends:

1. Give real examples of what they're doing in their classrooms to help improve math or reading. Talk about things parents might have noticed or will notice, such as Math Night, summer reading programs, or extra homework. Terms such as "program improvement plan" won't cut it - they're not specific and they sound bureaucratic.

2. Invite parents to call or met to discuss the issue.

3. Consider having a school community meeting where parents can discuss the issue, get more explanation, learn about activities designed to raise scores, and be offered ways to help in the school.

Helping parents understand not only alleviates their concerns, it helps create allies for your school. In the wake of the letter she received from her child's school, Clifford wrote a response, full of support for the school and its staff.

"Our opinion of Central school is based on a broad appreciation for the many subjects taught, the creative learning environment, and the community spirit of the school and not solely on a math score," Clifford wrote.