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Argument: NCLB raises standards and testing without improving education

Issue Report: No Child Left Behind Act

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Alfie Kohn. “NCLB: ‘Too Destructive To Salvage'”. Common Dreams. May 31, 2007 – Let’s be clear: This law has nothing to do with improving learning. At best, it’s about raising scores on multiple-choice exams. This law is not about discovering which schools need help; we already know. This law is not about narrowing the achievement gap; its main effect has been to sentence poor children to an endless regimen of test-preparation drills. Thus, even if the scores do rise, it’s at the expense of a quality education.

Sandra Nichols. “When NCLB Standards Meet Reality”. April 26, 2003 – “…having high standards is currently thought to be some kind of magic bullet. Certainly nobody wants low standards. However, merely raising the bar does not make a pole-vaulter able to jump higher.”

“What’s Wrong With Standardized Testing?” FairTest.org. December 17th, 2008 – Standardized tests are tests on which all students answer the same questions, usually in multiple-choice format, and each question has only one correct answer. They reward the ability to quickly answer superficial questions that do not require real thought. They do not measure the ability to think or create in any field. Their use encourages a narrowed curriculum, outdated methods of instruction, and harmful practices such as retention in grade and tracking.