Details of updates to NCLB are beginning to emerge (NY Times). My quick reading seems to indicate schools will be placed more directly in competition rather than being focused on the proportion of students who meet AYP. Again, it appears that the logic is to take resources away from under performing schools as a punishment.
It also seems that the competition would be within states:
“States would measure school performance and differentiate schools on the basis of progress in getting all subgroups of students on track to CCR, the growth of individual students toward CCR, progress toward closing subgroup achievement gaps, graduation rates (at the high school level) and other measures as appropriate,” the summary said. “Schools that are showing significant improvement,” it said, “would be eligible for recognition and rewards.”
It also appears that schools must allow teachers to be evaluated based on student performance to qualify for federal payments or at least the “race to the top” funds.
I do think it is important to create a system sensitive the performance of all students. The existing system creates a lot of game playing with a focus on students in the “sweet spot” while ignoring those likely to do well and those unlikely to make it under any condition. My wife likes to describe this as “move all children forward” rather than “no child left behind”.
