Standardization and Imperialism…Standardization and Imperialism…

How do state or federal How do state or federal mandates affect education and mandates affect education and

society?society?

No Child Left BehindNo Child Left Behind(NCLB)(NCLB)

These reforms express my deep belief in our public These reforms express my deep belief in our public schools and their mission to build the mind and schools and their mission to build the mind and

character of every child, from every background, in character of every child, from every background, in every part of America.every part of America.

President George W. BushPresident George W. BushJanuary 2001January 2001

PurposePurpose

Close the achievement gap withClose the achievement gap withaccountability, flexibility, accountability, flexibility, parental choices,parental choices,and research-based reformsand research-based reforms

HistoryHistory

President Lyndon B. Johnson signs President Lyndon B. Johnson signs ElementaryElementaryand Secondary Education Act, 1965and Secondary Education Act, 1965

Title I and ESEA coordinated throughTitle I and ESEA coordinated throughImproving America’s Schools Act, Improving America’s Schools Act, 19941994

Reauthorization of ESEA -Reauthorization of ESEA -No Child Left Behind, 2002No Child Left Behind, 2002

1965-20021965-2002

GoalsGoalsALL students will attain proficiency or ALL students will attain proficiency or betterbetterin reading and mathematics by 2013-2014in reading and mathematics by 2013-2014

ALL limited English students will becomeALL limited English students will becomeproficient in Englishproficient in English

ALL teachers will be highly qualifiedALL teachers will be highly qualifiedby 2005-2006by 2005-2006

ALL students will be educated in safe,ALL students will be educated in safe,drug-free environments drug-free environments

ALL students will graduate from high schoolALL students will graduate from high school

Key pointsKey points

AccountabilityAccountability

Teacher QualityTeacher Quality

Options and Choices for ParentsOptions and Choices for Parents

Instructional Methods Instructional Methods

FlexibilityFlexibility

AccountabilityAccountability

Testing RequirementsTesting Requirements

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

ConsequencesConsequences

Public ReportingPublic Reporting

Adequate Yearly Progress - ExampleAdequate Yearly Progress - Example

1120022002 20022002

200320032003200320042004

2004200420052005

2005200520062006

2006200620072007

2007200720082008

200920092009200920102010

2010201020112011

2011201120122012

2012201220132013

2013201320142014

100%100%95%95%90%90%85%85%80%80%75%75%70%70%65%65%60%60%55%55%50%50%45%45%40%40%

40%40%BaselineBaselineTargetTarget

2001-20022001-2002

100%100%TargetTarget

2013-20142013-2014

ACCOUNTABILITYACCOUNTABILITY

Teacher qualityTeacher quality

All core academic subject area All core academic subject area teachers notteachers nothighly qualified must meet the highly qualified must meet the requirementsrequirementsby 2005-2006.by 2005-2006.

Options and choices for parentsOptions and choices for parents

Increased parent notification and Increased parent notification and reporting requirements for all reporting requirements for all districtsdistricts– Emphasis on parental involvement Emphasis on parental involvement

School Improvement Status Schools:School Improvement Status Schools:– Transfer option to schools not identifiedTransfer option to schools not identified

for improvementfor improvement– Supplemental services provided outsideSupplemental services provided outside

the school daythe school day

SummarySummaryAssessment for ALL studentsAssessment for ALL students

Accountability for ALL studentsAccountability for ALL students

Public reporting for ALL schoolsPublic reporting for ALL schools

Increased options for ALL parentsIncreased options for ALL parents

Highly qualified personnel in ALL Highly qualified personnel in ALL schoolsschools

Dollars to classrooms in ALL schoolsDollars to classrooms in ALL schools

Key dates…Key dates…2002- Annual assessment of Limited English2002- Annual assessment of Limited EnglishProficiency studentsProficiency students2002- Biennial NAEP testing in grades 4 and 82002- Biennial NAEP testing in grades 4 and 8in reading and mathin reading and math2002- States and districts distribute annual report cards2002- States and districts distribute annual report cardsbased on NCLB requirementsbased on NCLB requirementsAnnual assessment in math and reading/languageAnnual assessment in math and reading/languagearts at least once in grades 3-5, 6-9, 10-12arts at least once in grades 3-5, 6-9, 10-12 2005- Annual 2005- Annual assessments of reading and math in grades 3-8 (fall)assessments of reading and math in grades 3-8 (fall)2006- All public and charter school teachers must 2006- All public and charter school teachers must meetmeetstandards of high qualitystandards of high quality2006-States must have science standards 2006-States must have science standards established established 2014-All students must be proficient in reading2014-All students must be proficient in readingand mathand math

What are the pros and cons to federally What are the pros and cons to federally mandated educational policymandated educational policy

ProsPros ConsCons

NCLB??NCLB??No Child Left UntestedNo Child Left UntestedEvery Child Left BehindEvery Child Left BehindNo Teacher Left UntestedNo Teacher Left UntestedNo Puppy Left UnfedNo Puppy Left Unfed– No one could possibly “be against” leaving no child No one could possibly “be against” leaving no child

behind, just as no one could be against starving behind, just as no one could be against starving puppies!puppies!

Test and BurnTest and BurnFront:  No Child Left Behind Front:  No Child Left Behind – Back:  As long as you are white, middle class, and Back:  As long as you are white, middle class, and

ChristianChristianNo Child left on No Child left on Their BehindTheir Behind!!!!!!!! That is what we say in !!!!!!!! That is what we say in the Physical Education world.the Physical Education world.   aaNNother other CConservative-initiated program for onservative-initiated program for LLiberals iberals to to BBitch aboutitch aboutMany Children Left Behind by Debra Meier, Alfie Kohn, etc. Many Children Left Behind by Debra Meier, Alfie Kohn, etc. 

Secretary of Education- Rod PaigeSecretary of Education- Rod Paige

National Education Association National Education Association (NEA) is a “terrorist (NEA) is a “terrorist organization” for criticizing NCLBorganization” for criticizing NCLBApril 2003- “All things being April 2003- “All things being equal, I would prefer to have a equal, I would prefer to have a child in a school that has a child in a school that has a strong appreciation for Christian strong appreciation for Christian values where a child is taught to values where a child is taught to have a strong faith.”have a strong faith.”

Equity Claims for NCLB don’t Equity Claims for NCLB don’t pass the test…pass the test…

A huge increase in financial A huge increase in financial responsibility to schools with no responsibility to schools with no more federal money provided…more federal money provided…

Some estimates say that the new Some estimates say that the new federal law will require states to give federal law will require states to give more than 200 tests at a cost of more more than 200 tests at a cost of more than $7 Billion dollarsthan $7 Billion dollarsMany studies show that standardized Many studies show that standardized testing does not lead to increased testing does not lead to increased student achievement but may in fact student achievement but may in fact reduce it and lead to higher dropout reduce it and lead to higher dropout rates.” (rates.” (New York TimesNew York Times, 12/28/02), 12/28/02)

May narrow the focus of what May narrow the focus of what teachers do in classteachers do in classLimit the ability to serve the broader Limit the ability to serve the broader needs of students and their needs of students and their communitiescommunitiesPushes struggling students out of Pushes struggling students out of schoolschoolAdopt developmentally inappropriate Adopt developmentally inappropriate practices for young children to get practices for young children to get them prepared for the testthem prepared for the test

All the focus on test scores means All the focus on test scores means that little energy is left for that little energy is left for imagination, creativity, intrinsic imagination, creativity, intrinsic motivation, intuition, spontaneity, motivation, intuition, spontaneity, and childrenand children

HQTHQTMakes understanding the process of teaching and Makes understanding the process of teaching and learning take a back seat to knowing the facts of a learning take a back seat to knowing the facts of a subject areasubject area93% of white teacher candidate passed the testing 93% of white teacher candidate passed the testing necessarynecessary73% of African American candidates passed the 73% of African American candidates passed the same testsame testOver-reliance on high stakes testing of teachers Over-reliance on high stakes testing of teachers mirrors the existing race and class inequities and mirrors the existing race and class inequities and ultimately denies many teachers of color access to ultimately denies many teachers of color access to the teaching field.the teaching field.Attack on teacher education programs- leading to Attack on teacher education programs- leading to alternative licensure and deregulation and for-profit alternative licensure and deregulation and for-profit programsprograms

HQT?HQT?Kati Haycock, 2000 (Education Trust)Kati Haycock, 2000 (Education Trust)– Students in high poverty schools were Students in high poverty schools were

more than twice as likely to have more than twice as likely to have teachers who weren’t certified in the teachers who weren’t certified in the subject areas that they were teachingsubject areas that they were teaching

– Students in schools that had a Students in schools that had a population of 90% of more of African population of 90% of more of African American and Latino students were American and Latino students were twice as likely to have teachers with no twice as likely to have teachers with no certification at allcertification at all

HQT?HQT?

July 2001 July 2001 The New York TimesThe New York Times– 50 percent of the teachers in urban 50 percent of the teachers in urban

schools leave teaching within their schools leave teaching within their first five years first five years

Empirically Researched Empirically Researched Instructional Methods?Instructional Methods?

Education and the Cult of EfficiencyEducation and the Cult of Efficiency

““Acquisition of earning” (not Acquisition of earning” (not learning)learning)

““Education that does not promote Education that does not promote the desire for earning… is not worth the desire for earning… is not worth the getting.”the getting.”

Accountability?Accountability?Law’s punitive measure to not Law’s punitive measure to not passing high stakes test is passing high stakes test is problematicproblematicAny extra funding will go to Any extra funding will go to magnet schools through magnet schools through vouchers or school choice vouchers or school choice programs, not to ensure programs, not to ensure improvement of present improvement of present conditionsconditions

Accountability?Accountability?

Adding special education students Adding special education students and students with limited English and students with limited English language proficiency does not language proficiency does not improve their situation and holds improve their situation and holds schools responsible to an unfair schools responsible to an unfair expectationexpectation

Accountability?Accountability?

Testing requirements are so high Testing requirements are so high that in some states over 90% of the that in some states over 90% of the schools will not meet the standardsschools will not meet the standards

Accountability?Accountability?

Inequality in test scores is one Inequality in test scores is one indicator of school performance. indicator of school performance. But test scores also reflect other But test scores also reflect other inequalities. inequalities.

Accountability?Accountability?

Ten percent of white children Ten percent of white children live in poverty whereas 35% of live in poverty whereas 35% of Black and Latino children live in Black and Latino children live in poverty. poverty.

Accountability?Accountability?

14% of whites have no health 14% of whites have no health insurance whereas 20% of Blacks insurance whereas 20% of Blacks and 30% of Latinos have no health and 30% of Latinos have no health insuranceinsurance

Accountability?Accountability?

Why isn’t our political system Why isn’t our political system addressing this inequity.addressing this inequity.

George Bush has run a privatizing George Bush has run a privatizing mania…mania…– We are defending the very concept of a We are defending the very concept of a

public sector that serves the common public sector that serves the common goodgood

– We must promote policies for equitable We must promote policies for equitable funding, smaller class sizes, programs to funding, smaller class sizes, programs to enhance teacher quality, regardless of enhance teacher quality, regardless of race, color, nationality, or zip coderace, color, nationality, or zip code

““The administration likes to talk The administration likes to talk about the soft bigotry of low about the soft bigotry of low expectations and how this law expectations and how this law fights that. But what about the fights that. But what about the hard bigotry of high hard bigotry of high expectations without adequate expectations without adequate resources?” (Washington Post, resources?” (Washington Post, 1/2/03)1/2/03)

Dr. Sobol- Dr. Sobol- (initiator of the standards movement)(initiator of the standards movement) the high stakes nature of testing the high stakes nature of testing affect those that “are usually affect those that “are usually poor and disproportionately of poor and disproportionately of color…this is beyond illegal and color…this is beyond illegal and unfair-this is immoral”. (cited in unfair-this is immoral”. (cited in Kozol, 2005)Kozol, 2005)