Texas to apply for federal waiver from No Child Left Behind

[TexasTowelie]

Texas will ask federal education officials for a reprieve from the increasingly onerous provisions the No Child Left Behind Act.

On Thursday, the Texas Education Agency posted notice that it would seek the waiver from the U.S. Department of Education. The decision, which comes in the first week of Michael Williams’ tenure as Texas education commissioner, is a reversal for Texas.

The Statesman has not heard back yet from the Texas Education Agency or Gov. Rick Perry’s office on the change in policy.

Last month, federal education data showed that more than half of Texas’ public schools had failed to meet the law’s key standard, which requires yearly progress toward meeting the ultimate goal that all children are proficient in math and reading by 2014.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2012/09/06/texas_to_apply_for_federal_wai.html

[glowing]

1. How do you get all children proficient? There are some children for whom a milestone will

be in achieving minimal independence. Some children are just starting out in a new country with a new language (especially in Texas this has to be an issue).

It's past time to get those who don't teach out of the way for those who do and allow them to set national reasonable standards.. Texts and hand outs that are regionally and culturally relevant... Standards measured against the world and the future "jobs" in America.

Reality is to me, that National Standards and an NEA, should mean the money follows similarly like it does the military. During recessions, children and teachers wouldn't suffer due to towns hemorrhaging money and having to do with less and less. That would make a world of difference in any town. Include building daycares and pre-schools into the mix. We clearly need it. How many families don't have 2 parents working outside the home these days?

Plus, we need a little bit more "socialism" when it comes to college and higher education. It shouldn't cost a mortgage to educate one's self to have to get a job working for other people (because let's face it, trying to start a business with school loans doesn't happen and only happens for the connected and the wealthy these days).... Those businesses like GE shouldn't have a $0 tax bill or worse oil companies with subsidies, who then suck up the talent and strapped after college.. shared prosperity should include health and education.

[DhhD]

2. Genetically, around 40% of the population has a dyslexia to reading, math and spelling

Last edited Sun Sep 9, 2012, 03:42 PM - Edit history (1)

among other learning difficulties or disabilities. A lot of studies have been done on mild, moderate and severe learning disabilities.

Back when GWB was governor, Texas had the same kind of test results for math reading and writing/spelling. A new curriculum for English returning to Phonics, was discussed around the State. The low progress was from students statewide that had been removed from the old fashioned curriculum of Phonics to the more modern WLA-Whole Language Approach. Reading recovery programs were only helping students with mild dyslexia. Phonics taught every child how to read and spell.

When it came down to a vote the Conservatives switched back to the old unsuccessful WLA-Whole Luggage Approach instead of going forward with the proven phonetic curriculum.

The movement to a phonetic curriculum was the beginnings of No Child Left Behind. Basically it said that if a child was unable to read on a third grad level then he/she could not advance to the next grade without summer school and a phonetic curriculum. In fourth grade student must spell five and six letter words. Children with dyslexia have trouble with memorizing five or more letter words. The Whole Language Approach uses MEMORIZING. Phonetic Language programs use phonetics. Again I will say that every child can learn to read and spell using a Phonetic program. Children in Special Education need a certified Language Pathologist and a Language Training Program-Contact the International Orton Dyslexia Society for details and understanding of IDEA.

Conservatives did a bait and switch. People in the Texas Education Agency were still with the Whole Language Approach. There was no phonetic programs in the general education population because the governor and TX Legislature decided to deni a return to the phonetic curriculum that was a proven method of learning to read, write and spell. Students with severe dyslexia were in need of Special Education. With that, IDEA-Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and its billions and billions of dollars. Instead of the TEC-Texas Education Codes Dyslexia Program Criteria, IDEA money was used to buy numerous computers with an installed programs all across the state.

The program did not make adequate yearly progress-AYP. The computers bought with IDEA money could only be used in Special Education. The computers became stored (they have long since become obsolete but business had already gotten its money out of the deal) . Educators had to go back to the TEC Dyslexia Program Criteria. Many new Language Training Specialist left college and provided therapy to children with moderate to severe disabilities.

Until we return to a phonetic curriculum, I believe that some students will not make AYP. Genetics of learning type show that up to 60% of the population need to learn language by a phonetic program. Hum- around 65% of Texas 9th graders did not pass the STAAR Writing End of Course exam. Around 69% did not pass the Reading STAAR. Please look into the results for Math, Science, and Social Studies.

You must be wondering who or where did that unsuccessful computer program come from that was paid for by federal IDEA money. Yes it was from one of the Bush brothers.

You must be wondering what privatization program will be coming to Texas students to provide AYP and a High School Credit that will be denied if students fail a STAAR exam in the 2012-13 school year.

Maybe the new commissioner was hired to help bring in privatization. What lucky company is going to make millions off of our failing children.

[TexasTowelie]

3. Texas students for auction,

low bidder wins!

Your last sentence hit the nail on the head. If there is any way to sell it, rent it or lease it there will be a GOP sticker attached to a bill of sale.

Welcome to DU!

[Ilsa]

4. And how much has Texas been cutting

from education every year? How many teachers lost their contracts? How big are class sizes now?

Let's face it: the Texas legislature has little interest in educating our youth.

[TBF]

7. Interestingly they've spent $1.2B (yes, billion!) on the testing

since 2001 (and that number is already a year old). So, they find money for some things ...

[hobbit709]

5. The irony escapes them.

NCLB was Idiot Son's idea to start with and him and Goodhair were all for it at the time.
And with the state GOP platform with it's being against critical thinking plank.

added this from juanitajean.com

"But it starts before college, even. It starts with going to high school and learning the true basic science behind cosmology, climatology, evolution and paleontology. Then some logic, math and reading comprehension skills. Then a true understanding of how religion is an unprovable, untestable, inconsistent philosophy and not, you know, real, as in a “let’s-rule-the-world” type of reality.

If we can accomplish that through public education, then Democrats will rule the world, because facts and logic are to Republicans what holy water spritzers with garlic garnish are to vampires.'

[sonias]

6. Texas Backs Away From No Child Left Behind Law, Its Own Bush-Endorsed Creation

Huffington Post 9/8/12

Texas Backs Away From No Child Left Behind Law, Its Own Bush-Endorsed Creation

Texas, the state that launched school accountability as an experiment, has applied to untangle itself from parts of the federal No Child Left Behind mandate, the same law that experiment eventually yielded.

The deadline was Thursday for states to take President Barack Obama's administration up on its offer to waive parts of the law in exchange for implementing elements of the White House's education agenda. Texas announced that, like at least 40 other states, it wanted out, too.

"NCLB’s reauthorization in a timely manner has created an obsolete system that does not adequately reflect the accomplishments of the state’s schools," the state's education chief Michael Williams wrote in an open letter Thursday. By the law's definition, in Texas 47.8 percent of schools -- and 27.6 percent of its school districts -- made "adequate yearly progress" this year.

Texas under republican control, has always only paid lip service to educating kids for free. They see education as an expense - bottom line. Something to cut. Why educate the masses?

I would like to think that Democrats see education as a huge investment in our future. Can't say that I ever liked the NCLB law because it was more about getting out the sticks, than really improving schools or kids education.

Yes it is ironic that Texas is once again being saved by the Obama administration. And Perry and his cronies will be blaming him all the way to the bank.