The Children Can't Wait

Feb. 26, 2005 -- -- Remember when you were a little "shortie" and you'd be walking with a group of family or friends? Like most little kids you always seemed to be lagging, bringing up the rear. You couldn't keep up with your stubby little legs. Someone who cared a lot about you would invariably look back and warn, "You better keep up or we're going to leave you behind."

No children want to be left behind. Most parents don't want their children left behind. But, more and more, parents are worried that their children are being left behind by the public schools they attend.

What's ridiculous is that is it not so uncommon to find high school graduates who do not read, write or speak very well. Most of these ill-equipped students came from poor families, and from poor communities with poor schools. The parents forced to live in these poor communities can't scrape together enough money to pay for private or parochial schools. And, they can't afford to pick up and move to an area with good schools. That means for the 13 years their kids are in school, these families are stuck. Their kids, who need the most academic support, go to schools where they aren't learning.

It was with that in mind that President Bush proposed and Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002. Not since 1965 have there been such sweeping changes made in the federal government's role in public education. In the simplest terms, it holds schools responsible for properly educating students. The law includes measures that:

Require increase in test scores and standards;

Reward schools which get test scores up;

Allow students to transfer to better schools if their school does not improve student performance;

Deliver federal money to the neediest schools, so they can hire more staff, like reading specialists.

Everybody was optimistic. But, a funny thing happened on the way to "leaving no child behind." The law is under fire. Nine states have considered filing lawsuits against it. A new study issued this past week says that it isn't working.

It just so happens that while the study was being conducted by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, I was visiting high schools all over the country. Most of the school administrators and teachers I talked to were also critical. Some of the criticisms:

They say they are not getting the money or resources they had been promised under No Child Left Behind.

They claim the children are being shortchanged because with so much emphasis put on improving test scores, teachers have to spend most of school time teaching reading and math -- the subjects tested under NCLB. That means kids are not getting subjects like history, geography, foreign languages and arts education they deserve.

They say some schools are handicapped because they have a lot of students, for whom English is a second language or a large number of special ed students.

They also say they are working with kids whose parents do not place a high priority of education and don't support the students at home.

However, Bush's education officials say the law will work. They explain that they are committed to addressing the concerns of the states and will ensure all children make the grade. They believe NCLB has provided hope to many poor people, but that more time is needed.

For the children who are attending the nation's failing schools, what good is it to tell them that by 2014 all the kinks will be worked out? But, if No Child Left Behind is not the answer, what is? We all need to think about that because the children can't wait.