Standards-Based Reform

This post was adapted from something that I had previously written.

The schools in this country are inexcusable. Things need to change. Abolishment of the schools would be an enormous leap forward for us, but I don’t think that many people would support the idea. At the very least, we need to seriously reform this country’s biggest mistake.

It may be difficult to make things worse than they are now, but George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act (or Every Child Left Behind as I like to call it) did just that. He decided that all states needed to test students to ensure that they all meet the same specific requirements for graduation. Instead of looking at why the schools are failing, he simply told the schools to change their end requirements in hopes that that would be sufficient.

The biggest problem with the schools is their inability to accommodate the needs of the individual. By saying that all students must meet the exact same standards as everyone else, we are not addressing this problem. We are enforcing it.

If no two students are alike, how can we demand that all students know the exact same things? First of all, we have to aim low. In order for all students to know what we require, we have to make sure that these requirements are in reach for all students. Secondly, learning beyond these requirements must become irrelevant to the schools. Anything beyond the requirements will not help students pass these tests. Advanced opportunities for students are much lower priorities for the schools than help for slower students.

Since individuality and advancement are incompatible with our schooling system, I think that it’s safe to say that standards-based reform leaves every child behind. The methods that have been in place for over a century are the biggest problems. Simply adding tests to graduation requirements does little more than support the issues that we need to correct. I knew that Every Child Left Behind was a mistake the moment I first heard about it.

When Obama took office, he insisted that we push for common academic standards while tying teacher pay to student achievement. His ideas involve the same problems of aiming low and devaluing learning beyond the standards. The real problems are still being ignored. I guess this should be expected from someone who surrounded himself with products of the schools.

In the schools’ war against education, Bush and Obama have clearly sided with the schools. Many teachers have shown fear of changing to meet their misguided views, but they should be thrilled. If we sided with education instead of schooling, teachers would be certain to lose their jobs. It’s too bad that more people don’t believe in education.