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No Child Left Behind in Pennsylvania: A Commentary

Bush's No Child Left Behind Act [NCLB] is a framework set up to ensure that no student slides through the rungs. The Act was developed as a way to help build America's schools so that all children can and will learn, thus preparing them for a productive life in our ever-advancing society.

NCLB has a big focus on minority students and those with low socioeconomic status. With highly populated, diverse cities in Pennsylvania, like Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia, there are many urban districts with students categorized as such. These are the students truly benefiting from the attention of NCLB. Paul Vallas, chief executive officer for a district in Philadelphia, said that the reforms were working, after noting improvements on TerraNova scores. "'Clearly, the move to standardize the curriculum and to increase the amount of instructional time on task is having an effect'."(1) On the other hand, there are many schools and students who do not fit into the NCLB's focused category, or who cannot financially support all its requirements, and they are not thriving on what these reforms have put in place. Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell stated:

We continue to support the core intent of NCLB, which is to provide a system of support and accountability for every student. But it has become clear that there is a
gap between intent and realistic implementation. Our recommendations to bridge that gap are a result of discussions with teachers and administrators who must deal with these issues every day.(2)
It seems there are more who agree with the Governor's statement than those who do not. NCLB has the right foundation, but is not yet meeting the needs of all those involved in education across the state.

In Pennsylvania, the main strength of NCLB is the push for "highly qualified teachers."(3) Schools end up with teachers who are not qualified due to shortages, or teachers who meet the criteria for being qualified, but are not truly master teachers, even after years of experience. Raising requirements for teachers and teachers-in-training will allow students to learn from solid instructors.

Weaknesses of NCLB are many. First, the funding for quality teachers is not there, at least in small districts. Districts such as these offer some of the lowest salaries and do not have any other incentives to attract worthy faculty. With the accountability for results, districts are holding sole responsibility for helping at-risk children

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