Leave Behind No Child Left Behind?

Most people in the United States are very well aware of how unsuccessful the NCLB Act has been.  However, an article I recently read seems to indicate that things are even worse than they appear to be.  According to the New York Times there is a large difference between what we are being told the drop out rate in high schools is and what it is in actuality.  The article states that because of differing opinions on what is qualified as “dropped out” two different groups of statisticians in Mississippi were asked to determine the state’s drop out rate and the two groups came up with answers that were no where near each other.  One group claimed that the percent of high school students in Mississippi that graduate is 87 while the other claimed that it was a frighteningly low 63 percent.  The Mississippi state school superintendent, Hank Bounds, believes that the lower number of the two is more accurate.

“We were losing about 13,000 dropouts a year, but publishing reports that said we had graduation rate percentages in the mid-80s,” Mr. Bounds said. “Mathematically, that just doesn’t work out.”

Researchers say that only about 70 percent of U.S. students that start high school graduate.  Many other states show similar trends of producing higher numbers for the NCLB records and very different, lower rates locally.  There are a number of explanations for this trend.  States want to avoid embarrassment by appearing to be doing much better than they are.  No state wants to post record breaking low percents while the rest are claiming to be graduating around 80 percent of their students.

Former Virginia Governor and president of the Alliance for Excellent Education, a group that seeks to improve schools, Bob Wise believes that NCLB is largely to blame.

“I liken N.C.L.B. to a mile race.  Under N.C.L.B., students are tested rigorously every tenth of a mile. But nobody keeps track as to whether they cross the finish line.”

This is a very valid point in my opinion.  It is important to set goals for students throughout their schooling and provide them incentives to do well.  However, assuming that because a student passes the MEAP or any equivalent test will graduate is certainly presuming the best of students.

Article Written By Sam Dillon

Published By: The New York Times

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