Don't Let Unrealistic Expectations Cloud Our Gains

The so-called "No Child Left Behind" legislation from the Bush Administration focused schools around the country on bringing everyone up to standards. However, the goal in the legislation is for 100% of all students to be proficient by 2014. This means that every student in every school, even those that are still learning English, such as new immigrants, or those who have special needs, must be proficient or a school is deemed failing.

While schools should strive for everyone to be successful, the result of the unrealistic goal is to stigmatize schools that are making significant annual progress. The requirements call for double digit growth in performance every year, a standard that cannot be met. In Berryessa, what this means is that several schools that have improved every year are being labeled as "Program Improvement" schools this year.

For a more detailed discussion of No Child Left Behind and it's unrealistic expectations, see my discussion at the Board President's Blog.

When school API scores are released this week, I will be celebrating the amazing achievements of the Berryessa School District's teachers and staff in enabling growth in achievement at our schools year after year. I will continue to focus on ways the district can continue it's phenomenal growth in the years ahead. And at the same time, I will continue to lobby the federal government to find better ways to measure adequate yearly progress so that exemplary schools are not categorized as failing.