In Fairfax's 'No Child' Fight, A Refusal to Leave Children Behind

This is quite a comic-book-level smear of the president. But when liberals [and mis-guided, well-intentioned Republicans like GWB] charge the federal government with education, and its funding, these conflicts will occur. Just imagine the joys of federalized healthcare...

By gitarre | Mar 22, 2007 3:24:32 AM | Request Removal

Yea, right. Fisher is just a Bush-hater. Marc- good show. Looks like our long, national nightmare may be coming to an end. A school in my county was deemed failing because one child from one subgroup missed one question on one test on one day which was one of the 29 criteria making up Adequate Yearly Progress. Its insane.

By rjma | Mar 22, 2007 7:33:28 AM | Request Removal

As an ESOL teacher in Fairfax County, I applaud Mr. Dales stand. The law that purports to help those children who need it most is, in practice, harming those very students by causing teachers and administrators to waste many, many hours in testing, paperwork, and bureaucratic nonsense rather than in actually teaching. And students of today are not learning to think as creatively or work as cooperatively as those of a few years ago because there simply isnt time amidst all of the test prep teachers must do in order to not be a failing school. SOL tests are not merely a once-a-year disruption or true measure of mastery of content. They are a year-long waste of teacher and student time as students take quarterly BART tests, test-prep lessons, and teachers and administrators are forced to obsess about individual student *scores*, not student *learning.*

By elena | Mar 22, 2007 7:35:03 AM | Request Removal

17 million is nothing to FCPS which seems to be under the assumption that money grows on trees. One fact that FCPS has stated is that the number going to private school has remained the same. That is the number going not the number applying since the private school capacity has not had a big increase. FCPS has not submitted an accurate application for its IDEA grant money to Virginia in years. FCPS runs advanced academic programs like IB which cost over 5 times more per course per student than AP. FCPS has a rat maze of bussing to avoid boundary changes and Dale did no Administrative Boundary Changes this year. Some high schools like Mount Vernon and Falls Church are so underutilized they could fit an entire middle school in their building. We are dealing with such a huge entity in FCPS that it can develope its own statistically relevant reports. One such animal showed no academic incentive for full day kindergarten except for the lowest 20 of students. Yet FCPS is moving in that direction for all schools at an incremental cost of over $4500 annually per student. Fairfax could expand SACC which is the school site child care program with parental payments based on income. That would give a full day and more. It is to the taxpayers in Fairfax County but they are an ignored entity. We need Taxation Without Representation bumper stickers and license plates just like DC.

By mydchome | Mar 22, 2007 7:56:54 AM | Request Removal

NCLB testing takes up valuable classroom time that could be used for something else. Understanding WHY youre doing something is just as critical as understanding how to do it. So much emphasis on standardized testing creates children and teachers who care only about a number on a page, and not about the larger picture. If the administration really wants to create change, why not increase support for the teachers who are up against this impossible task? Put the money into higher salaries, ongoing training, and funds for classroom supplies. Make teaching an enviable career and youll get higher quality candidates applying for the job.

By acelder | Mar 22, 2007 8:51:31 AM | Request Removal

It is irresponsible to discuss the NCLB testing stand-off without embracing the reasoning behind NCLB. ACCOUNTABILITY-a word that does not exist in FCPS. Dale surrounds himself with yesmen and the School Board just goes along for the ride. Here are the UGLY FACTS as ommitted from our esteemed reporter from The WP: 28 Black and Hispanic kids were admitted into TJ High School in year 2005-06. In 1998, there were 49. What progress!! A 40 DECREASE over 7 years. A DISGRACE 1050 Hispanic students dropped out of school in 2004-05 representing a 129 percent increase since 2001-02. A DISGRACE. BTW, the school does not really have an incentive to try to keep these kids in schools now do they, particularly if they drag down the testing averages? There is a 21 percentage point gap on the SOL English scores between Black/White students and an 18 percentage point gap between Hispanic/White students. FCPSs gaps lag school systems in other parts of Virginia. One in ten Black/Hispanic kids participate in AP?IB classes while one in three participate for Asian and White students. FCPS chose to REDUCE the number of ESOL teaching positions by 13 between school years 2003-04 and 2004-05 even though ESOL student enrollment increased. There are approximately 3000 ESOL students who also are classified as Special Education. FCPS has 11 teachers with dual backgrounds and certification in both ESOL and Spec ED. Understaffed? Maybe? Get serious folks. This has nothing to do with traumatizing these kids with testing. This is all about Dale and The School Board failing these kids and wanting to bury the facts.

By janet.otersen | Mar 22, 2007 9:09:46 AM | Request Removal

Amen, Marc, and Amen, Mr. Dale. Children will remember what they learn, and love to learn, if it is done in ways that show them the beuaty of knowledge and not just memorizing facts. Children are little sponges and if you imbue them with the passion to learn and a love of reading and figuring out problems, those skills will last a lifetime. Does anyone remember those facts they were required to cram for tests? What, exactly, are we preparing these children for or to do with their lives? How about teaching them to learn, blossom, invent, problem solve? So sad that we think we can reduce people to test scores.

By egengle | Mar 22, 2007 9:53:50 AM | Request Removal

Your article states: No Child Left Behind is built on a lie. Not every kid will go to college, no matter what you do. So you can either lower the standards enough to pretend that everyone is succeeding, or give up on the lie. That is 100 Correct. The sooner we admit it, and move one, we can do right by the kids.

By hatchlaw | Mar 22, 2007 10:56:30 AM | Request Removal

To Janet Otersen: Special Ed and ESOL combined is a tough combination. As a result, these students are allowed to stay in high school until well into their twenties. ESOL kids have parents who dont speak English, and often are illiterate in their native language too. I would love to know what VA counties do better, so we can model our program after theirs. Until you share that info, dont tell me FCPS isnt doing right by these kids!

By hatchlaw | Mar 22, 2007 11:04:45 AM | Request Removal

They want the money but they dont want to play by the rules. Typical sense of entitlement rampant in NoVA.

By ronjaboy | Mar 22, 2007 11:30:19 AM | Request Removal

NCLB requires testing of all children, even ESOL students who have been in the US for a very short time. Although it may seem like they pick up the language quickly, learning American and learning English are not the same and many of these students come here illiterate in their native language... some never having been to school at all. Requiring these students to be tested knowing that they are likely to fail is unfair and unethical. Good for Dr. Dale!

By lynnterhar | Mar 22, 2007 11:32:08 AM | Request Removal

If the teachers and administraters had been doing their jobs all these years none of this would have been necessary. But they always have an excuse, its somebody elses fault, because kids, cant write, do math or read.

By ronjaboy | Mar 22, 2007 11:32:19 AM | Request Removal

hatchlaw- I encourage you to read the Minority Achievement better named Failure Report dated 6/1/2006. This is an annual report- so any previous reports basically state the same failures. There are 35 members on the Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee MSAOC, many who are appointed by the School Board members. Let me quote: Many of our recommendations from the past go unresolved...... other school divisions have implemented unified strategies to raise the SOL scores for minorities as in Richmond City and Norfolk schools The report is basically a testimony to the lack of leadership that Dale and The School Board has exhibited on this topic. FCPS is a school system of haves and have nots and Dale and The SB are too occupied catering to the haves to bother with those who are being left behind. PS My earlier post deleted percentages so it was confusing. FCPS reduced their ESOL staff by 100- a reduction of 13 percent while ESOL enrollment was rising I honestly, dont fault the staff, I think they are doing all they can with what little they are given. FCPS just has not allocated enough resources at the problem and there are clearly leadership issues at the top. It is a pity Marc Fisher bought Dales sad story-he usually does a better job with his reporting.

By janet.otersen | Mar 22, 2007 11:52:26 AM | Request Removal

until the federal government begins to fully fund IDEA without cuts to its current contributions - the fed should place no additional demands on local systems. public education is a success but is too expensive due to overly generous retirement plans and yearly raises that do not compare equally to the private sector. this country will never evolve until we have national health care.

By jamesgkelly | Mar 22, 2007 12:09:18 PM | Request Removal

Marc Fisher: You are so right! In Garrison Keillors Lake Wobegone, all children are above average, but nowhere else. Some people are smarter or dumber than others, no matter what kind of education they receive. If you give every child two parents who read with them, set appropriate bedtimes for them, have sufficient income to support them adequately, you will see more learning. None of these factors are a teachers responsibility, yet teachers are expected to educate children who come to school unprepared to learn. Im glad my daughter and son have their children in private school. June Webb

By herbalteez | Mar 22, 2007 12:42:24 PM | Request Removal

I celebrate the wisdom and courage of this true educator. I am one of the activists you mock and I resent your negative characterization. Maybe you tried to be funny, but to be a parent who is witness to the nightmare in our schools since NCLB, dealing with the suffering of my child and what she is losing in value for her education, hearing of the oppression and despair from her teachers, is no laughing matter, and our perspective deserves no dismissal. Thank you for including some of the issues in debate by many that are rarely reported in a meaningful manner in mainstream press. NCLB has in fact turned education into a grim, mechanistic culture. It is notable that this esteemed Virginia superintendent, as well as many of our representatives in Congress, 28 thousand signatores on the Educator Roundtable petition, the United Council of Churches, the 100 endorsements of organizations on Fairtests petition, 4 large school districts teachers associations in California, the chairman of the American Association of School Administrators, the Education Commissioner of Nebraska, many fine and distinguished university professors of Education, and many, many other groups and interested citizens agree that the basis and applications of NCLB policy are dishonest, harmful and ungrounded in research. Parents, students and teachers-- it is time for all of us to be included in this debate. Please take a look at the website.

By realannie | Mar 22, 2007 1:00:56 PM | Request Removal

Revised: I am a minority immigrant living in Fairfax and occasionally encounter the bigotry of low expectations for my children. When Dale states that not all kids will attend college the bets are largely on mine. He says the kids will be humiliated by a test that can only make them feel like a moron. No, it will just help us identify any areas where the kids need to put greater effort. Keeping the kids away from the test is in line with the low expectations.

By enm2 | Mar 22, 2007 1:31:51 PM | Request Removal

Revised: I am a minority immigrant living in Fairfax and occasionally encounter the bigotry of low expectations for my children. When Dale states that not all kids will attend college the bets are largely on mine. He says the kids will be humiliated by a test that can only make them feel like a moron. No, it will just help us identify any areas where the kids need to put greater effort. Keeping the kids away from the test is in line with the low expectations.

By enm2 | Mar 22, 2007 1:51:32 PM | Request Removal

enm2- Excellent post! You are exactly correct. Until FCPS raises the bar for ALL kids, we all will suffer the consequences. I have a child in Spec ED who struggles academically and does poorly on her SOLs due to her learning disabilities. You could take the same argument with her that the tests traumatize her and she is going to fail anyways. But guess what? As a parent, this is the only apples to apples comparison I have to assess her yearly progress. I would also like to break down the numbers for many of you who probably dont know how many kids we are talking about. FCPS has 163,593 kids of which 21,369 are ESOL-about 13 percent. They use 4 different levels identified as 1,2,3 and 4. Assuming an even distribution between levels we are talking about 5300 kids. Now the schools do not have to test the students for the first 12 months they enter the system. So, if they enter in September thay are not tested until the Spring of the following year, meaning they have been in the school about 19 months. Hopefully, they received Summer school instruction. FCPSs ESOL office claims that every kid in the ESOL program advances from one level to the next within a school year which means that no level 1 testing should occur. FCPS also boasts that 29 percent of ESOL kids move to non-LEP status each year. If we are experiencing a leveling off of new ESOL students, which we are, these kids are out of the ESOL program within 4-5 years. The bottom line is I dont understand why FCPS claims they are overwhelmed with the demands of NCLB on these kids. They represent less than 3 percent of the entire student population, well below the Special Education population which is even more demanding.

By janet.otersen | Mar 22, 2007 2:11:06 PM | Request Removal

If Dale gets fired, perhaps he should his next employment aim should be Congress or higher. This is one example of what needs to be changed in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

By lvieler | Mar 22, 2007 3:00:23 PM | Request Removal