"50 City Schools Get Failing Grade in a New System"

While passing a magazine stand a few days ago, I came across a headline that read "50 City Schools Get Failing Grade in a New System". Needless to say, it caught my attention enough to stop and pick up the paper on my way to class. The article stated that 50 schools got “failing” grades according to the new rating system that judges schools based on both performance and progress. This means that 29,000 students now have the choice to transfer schools if they wish. The article also stated that in addition to the failing schools, 99 schools received a grade of a D. I can’t say that I was completely shocked when I read this article, but I was really disappointed. The NCLB is clearly still not working at all. Because of these failing grades, many teachers and administrators may lose their jobs, and schools may close.

One parent wrote the chancellor saying, ““The way you treat our educators is part and parcel of the way you treat our students – constantly barraging them with narrow, deadening tests and demoralizing them with meaningless scores”” (Jan Carr in NYTIMES). Very well stated Ms. Carr! I think that sad part is the fact that the poor grades are causing the blame to be put on the teachers and administrators who now face the threat of losing their jobs. I think that under those circumstances, even the most caring teacher will have to resort to teaching only what is required to pass the exams. I suppose they wouldn’t consider the fact that the plan itself isn’t working. You can find the article for further information here: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A02E2DF1F3CF935A35752C1A9619C8B63