Are No Children Left Behind, Really?
In the United States, we have consistently seen students perform poorly compared to their Asian neighbors. We have also seen that some states have far more advanced educational systems than others. There has been no universal standard to judge the school system. Politicians, teachers, and parents all have been scratching their heads at what to do about this growing problem. Then in 2001, the Congress passed the "No Child Left Behind" Act. After Congress passed it, President Bush quickly signed it into law.
The "No Child Left Behind" Act restructured the American school system completely by targeting all aspects of the school house. First the act targets the teachers. Teachers now have to demonstrate subject matter proficiency in their field of teaching by taking state required exams. Previously, teachers did not have to take these tests. Teachers also have to obtain formal training in teaching. They in affect must now learn to be a teacher. Finally, teachers have to obtain a bachelors degree. Next the act targets the students with a standardized testing. The act routinely tests students to make sure they understand the material and to assess their level. The act also requires schools to conduct scientific research to determine more effective ways of teaching. Finally, the act says that if a school system is performing subpar, then it must grant vouchers to students to attend other public schools in the area. This act sounds very good at face value, but is it problem-free?
There are a couple of major problems that exist in this act. One of the major problems is the standardized testing. There is a danger that teachers will only teach what is on the test, therefore, the student will not learn anything. Also standardized test have a significant cultural and racial bias. It has been proven that white males continually do better on these tests. Finally, a student doesn't learn anything from taking a standardized test, except how take a test. Another major problem is the ability of students to transfer to other schools. Some states even have a voucher program, where the student can take the voucher and move to a private school. The voucher never covers the whole cost of the education so as a result the majority of the kids taking the vouchers are upper middle class or upper class. So the school system begins to lose funding because of lower enrollment. Then only the poorest students are left at the school, with teachers and administrators who don't want to be there either. The school system ends up resembling one that existed before Brown vs. the Board of Education. The question then becomes how do we get through to the kids?
There are a multitude of things we can try to get through to these kids but one of the most practical and affordable ways is through tutoring. Because of the large class sizes teachers don't have the time or the energy to devote to these kids after school. One company, which is devoting the time and the effort to the kids, is Tutorzilla. Tutorzilla is an internet company that provides a great service with homework tutors who have Ph.D.'s and Master's degrees at a discount tutoring price. The first session is free and a whole month of tutoring only costs $99 dollars. Tutorzilla offers math tutoring, science tutoring, and prep tests such as the ACT and SAT. If you become a part of Tutorzilla, then you will begin to see their devotion to you. Unlike politicians and even some school faculty Tutorzilla's primary mission with their tutoring services is to help you succeed in the understanding of the subject matter that you are faced with so that you can excel in your studies.
