I think "No Child Left Behind" is a joke. No, we don't want children left behind. Some kids just fall through the cracks and somehow every year get sent on to the next grade w/o comprehending what they learned in the previous year. Yes, teachers should review and make sure everybody in the class is understanding the material, but they shouldn't have to continue to teach a certain lesson just b/c one student doesn't understand. The teacher should work with that particular child after school, or during a break so that the other children don't get bored in class. There are many children who catch on to the materials taught immediately, why should they be put on hold for their accelaration? Why should those students have to listen to a lesson all over again b/c one child can't help they don't understand - or even worse, listen to a lesson all over again b/c one child doesn't pay attention which causes them to not understand.
Schools should put children in grades by their real learning level, not by their age. There may be a 10 year old in 5th grade that is only a 2nd grade reading level - which means he should go back to the 2nd grade. People need to forget about the social/age issues and just help the children learn!

I just recently graduated from high school and the No Child Left Behind act really screwed up my senior year of school. We were used to the A's, B's, C's, D's and U's. Then the admistrative team decided if students weren't able to get a C in the class and put that effort forward they would get an Incomplete. This would allow these kids to stay after school and work on a paper or a small project to complete the course and pass. I don't see how this is fair to the kids that worked hard for their grade and these other kids just goofed off in class and can make up the class in a 2 hour session after school. In that case, I should have slept in all my classes and not attempted to do the work. I just don't see how it's fair.

I don't like the No Child Left Behind act either. My school was classified as "failing" last year because of the grades some students got on the standerdized tests. This is penalizing some of the other students who did well on the test. They are being forced to listen to the information over and over instead of simply moving on. This is why they sometimes start talking and doodling and tuning teachers out; it's boring for them. I should know.

you know whats ironic about the no child left behind act? it guarantees accomadations to kids with learning disabilities like me, but does nothing to nurture the talents of gifted kids. i babysit for a 3rd grader who does math at a 10th grade level. what are the schools doing to keep him interested while the rest of the class learns the multiplication tables?

I agree comletely with you, pianist. I think No Child Left Behind is unfair to the students who are learning and comprehending the material. It's a rip off to them, and those who do not understand should have more opportunities to catch up. I think the school system does not pay enough attention to the level most students are actually on. A lot of kids just cheat, coast through school and get by. No one seems to want to do something realistic to help them.

yah my junior high put us into nearly smartness groups there... so there is the occasonal kid or two that isnt as smart but with all the other smarter kids there is always someone to help them catch up. And that way you have lots of the same kids in your class every year... but of course this is in Canada so i dont know about how you do it in the us.

Amen. You raised a lot of good points, and the fact is, our public school systems are in need of radical reform. Unfortunately, people seem to be deathly afraid of change, even if it's change from something dysfunctional and retarded to something that has an actual chance of working.