Is No Child Left Behind helping or hurting students?
The No Child Left Behind policy, introduced by President George W. Bush, was an attempt to alleviate the gap between the students who are struggling in school and those who are excelling. It was originally designed for improving education for students of different ethnicities, for the middle class, and for students with disabilities. However, there are some major issues with how NCLB has evolved. First, standardized tests determine the amount of government funding a school receives. These tests only ask questions about a few subjects, neglecting others that are vital to a good education. If teachers become aware of what is on the examinations, they will feel the need to teach only what the students need to know for the tests because there is potential funding involved. Students won’t receive the curriculum they deserve, and eventually, they won’t be able to advance fully in society because of the lack of knowledge in certain subject areas. Teachers are affected in another way, also. Th
