No child left behind

Introduction As one of the federal government’s most sweeping changes to education in a generation, the No Child Left behind Act (NCLB) was signed into law by President George W. Bush on January 8, 2002. This bill provides nearly $1 billion a year over the next five years to strengthen public schools (FDOE 1).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on No child left behind specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This research paper explores the Act, answering questions that are aimed at gathering sufficient and relevant information within the context of the research topic. Some of the issues covered in include an explanation of the law, the impact of the law and adaptation of various systems to accommodate the law. NCLB Act Abbreviated as NCLB, No Child Left Behind is an Act of Congress in the United States which revolves around the accessibility and quality of education by children in public schools around the cou ntry. Although the bill was ratified by President Obama, it is important to note that it was initially proposed when George W. Bush became the President of the United States (Bagley 1). At the time of its proposal, the bill received an overwhelming majority support in the Congress, probably because of the expected impact it was to have in transforming the education sector. Principally, NCLB encourages reforms, which are based on high standards that are viewed as fundamental requirements of improving the outcomes of the education system. The bill further emphasizes the need of developing basic skills among students in public schools. As a result, states are supposed to have ways of assessing these skills among students in every grade for them to qualify for state funding (Bagley 1). However, the act does not set expected national standards and allows states to set their own standards based on a wide range of factors that may vary from one state to another. Because of the implications of the bill to the entire education system, funding allocation has continuously been rising since 2001. Another important point notable from the bill is its recognition of good performance among students as a proof of the work done by individual teachers in different schools. As a result, Adequate Yearly Progress is essential, especially for those schools around the country that are recognized under title â€Å"I† as defined in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. If a school experience recurring poor results yearly, the act recommends several steps to be implemented in improving the standards of the school to a reasonable level recognized by the state (NEA 1).Advertising Looking for research paper on administrative law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In line with Adequate Yearly Progress, schools which experience poor performance in two years consecutively are considered to be in need of improvement an d are expected to come up with an improvement plan that would run for two years for those subjects which the schools seem not to be teaching well. Additionally, students are given an option of seeking to transfer to another better school as long as the school does exist in his or her district (NEA 1). In the event the school does not realize AYP for the third year, the act recommends that such schools should establish free tutoring programmes with an aim of helping poor-performing students. On the other hand, a â€Å"correction† is recommended for a school that fails to attain the AYP for the fourth year. This action may include overall replacement of teachers, replacement of the existing curriculum and an allowance to have affected students spend more time in class. In extreme and almost impossible case, schools failing for the sixth year are put under reconstruction as provided in the No Child Left Behind Act. In balancing, the bill with its practical applicability, it is t he responsibility of the state to ensure that every school has qualified teachers. Additionally, a â€Å"one high standard† is supposed to be set for all students, and every state is mandated to decide this kind of standard. However, all outlined standards of the education curriculum have to be applied to all students equally around the state (NEA 1). Impact of the Law The law is believed to have a significant impact in the entire education sector. This impact has been felt by both teachers, students, districts and all education stakeholders. The first implication of the No Child Left Behind Bill is increased accountability required of all public schools and teachers around the country (NEA 1). According to the bill, every school must show quantifiable improvement in the performance of students in order to prove its efforts throughout every fiscal year. This is accompanied by measures discussed above that mainly affect non-performing schools and teachers (U.S. Department of E ducation 1). The law further supports reduction of funding in cases where schools do not show any performance progress. The main purpose of this action is to enable teachers and all stakeholders to understand the immense significance of the education system to the nation (U.S. Department of Education 1).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on No child left behind specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Additionally, the law makes it possible to have a link between students’ standards and state academic content. Furthermore, it insists that all schools should establish measuring mechanisms in order to tell the performance of students at every grade starting from the third up to the eighth (U.S. Department of Education 1). Beyond this stage of learning, the performance of students in high schools has to be determined at least once. Another impact is that it allows access of academic information of students by th eir parents through issuance of report cards. These report cards clearly indicate the Adequate Yearly Performance to enable parents to understand the progress of their sons and daughters. In addition, the school is obligated to disclose the professional level of the teacher to the parent to win the confidence of parents. Besides having set standards for schools and teachers around the country, the bill also impacts students in various ways. Unlike in cases where schools denied students opportunities to transfer to another school within the district, the No Child Left Behind bill allows bright students in schools that are unable to meet the Adequate Yearly Progress to transfer to better ones within the district (Bagley 1). Otherwise, schools are supposed to execute performance strategies like free tutoring and increased time, especially for those students who have weak performance standards. Conclusion No Child Education Bill is one of the most praised bills that promise to transform the American education system and make it performance-oriented. By insisting on performance standards, the government acknowledges the need to link resources and performance. In other words, its funding of the public education system has to be reflected through good performance from students through the efforts of schools and teachers. By holding schools and teachers accountable for the performance of students, the law echoes the role of a teacher that goes beyond class work teaching. However, in its continuous implementation, performance measuring parameters have to remain harmonized to promote fair gauging of students’ performance across states. Works Cited Bagley, Jennifer. â€Å"No Child Left Behind.† Education Week. 2004. Web.Advertising Looking for research paper on administrative law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More FDOE. â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act.† Florida Department of Education, 2005. Web. NEA. â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).† National Education Association, 2011. Web. U.S. Department of Education. â€Å"Elementary and Secondary Education Act.† U.S. Department of Education, 2011. Web. This research paper on No child left behind was written and submitted by user T0adMen to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. No Child Left Behind Purpose Students with severe disabilities need special education to ensure that â€Å"No Child Left Behind† policy provisions are fulfilled. As a result, educators should use evidence-based instructional strategies to ensure that students with disabilities demonstrate educational progress during yearly assessment as provided in the NCLB educational provisions.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on No Child Left Behind specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The US educational policy requires schools to demonstrate that students in grade 3 through 8 make adequate yearly progress (AYP) towards proficiency in mathematics and literacy. However, demonstrating AYP and evaluating progress on academic content standards for students with disabilities is challenging. Browder and Cooper-Duffy (2003) argue that â€Å"although research is now emerging on states’ alternate assessment practices, many questions remain ab out how best to measure the progress of students with severe disabilities on state academic standards (p. 157). The purpose of this research is to determine evidence-based practices that educators can use to teach students with severe disabilities to enable them show adequate yearly progress (AYP) as well as progress in academic content standards. In addressing the research topic, the authors reviewed numerous literatures with information about the educational needs of students with disabilities. They conducted the study with the intention to identify evidence-based instructional support that students with disabilities need to demonstrate annual progress. Design Throughout the study, the researchers used secondary research strategy to address the research objectives. They evaluated the previous literatures that address various empirical research studies on evidence-based practices for students with severe disabilities in relation to NCLB provisions. To begin with, the authors evalua ted and compared research on skills acquisition for students with disabilities. Second, the researchers evaluated the literature on instructional strategies that promote the students’ adequate annual progress. They discovered that numerous studies exist that demonstrate that students with disabilities can acquire skill through mastering technique (Horner, Carr, Halle, McGee, Odom, Wolery, 2005). Team planning was identified as another core aspect that promotes annual progress for students with disabilities. Finally, the researchers assessed the literature on evidence-based practices that would ensure that students with disabilities achieve learning objectives successfully (Browder Cooper-Duffy, 2003). The findings on evidence-based strategies for teaching students with disabilities were compiled, compared, and the conclusions were derived based on the empirical results.Advertising Looking for book review on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Findings and Conclusions The data from the studies indicated that educators can use evidence-based practices to promote skill acquisition and learning for students with disabilities. The use of instructional support for which scientific evidence has been obtained was found to play an important role in enhancing learning for students with disabilities (Odom, 2005). This study concentrated on two aspects of instructional support namely: how skills are defined and how skills are taught (Browder Cooper-Duffy, 2003). The researchers discovered that defining skills aligned with academic content standards required educators to employ the research foundation available for functional skills. This approach mainly targets skills mastery whereby the targeted skill can include a chained response, a pivotal response, or a single, discrete response. Furthermore, the authors discovered that the yearly process assessment for students with severe disabilities can be attained by focusing on specific responses that are taught to mastery. In addition, it was found that students with disabilities need individualized instruction besides cooperative learning activities to cement their academic understanding, and enable them to meet expectations for yearly progress. The research provides that the use of assistive technology can enable students with disabilities expand their use of symbolic communication that is related to mathematics, science, and reading. The authors also found that the students’ yearly progress can be enhanced through augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) (Browder Cooper-Duffy, 2003). Lastly, the study discovered that the instructors can use time delays to teach students with severe disabilities how to arrange objects and match them to the pictures on a communication board for request generation. This was identified as an example of self-instructional strategy that students with disabilities could use to perform f amily routines without assistance (Odom, 2005). The article provides a snapshot of the evidence-based practices for students with severe disabilities in relation to NCLB requirements. The study did not show clearly how the states would define progress for students with severe cognitive disabilities relating to the state standards in academics. Therefore, the research leaves gaps that will need to be studied in the future. Critique This article provides evidence-based strategies for teaching students with disabilities from previous empirical studies. Although the strategies are discussed in depth, it would be better if the researchers conducted primary research to determine the teachers’ experiences and collect raw data for evaluation and analysis.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on No Child Left Behind specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the evidence-based practices provided in the article could be beneficial and provide a solid foundation for future research on evidence-based practices for students with severe disabilities in relation to NCLB provisions. The article provides that students with severe disabilities can acquire skills in a general educational class through cooperation, but it does not provide insight on evidence-based practices that could apply to students with multiple cognitive disabilities (Browder Cooper-Duffy, 2003). Through this article, educators can identify the evidence based practices they may employ in teaching students with severe disabilities and enhance their learning. I concur with the suggestions that the use of augmentative alternative communication, time delays activities, and assistive technologies are among the evidence-based educational strategies that can promote the instruction of students with severe disabilities. References Browder, M.D., Cooper-Duffy, K. (2003). Evidence-based practices for students with severe disabilities and the requirement for accountability in â€Å"No Child Left Behind†. The Journal of Special Education, 7(3): 157-163. Horner, R. H., Carr, E.G., Halle, J., McGee, G., Odom, S., Wolery, M. (2005). The use of single-subject research to identify evidence-based practice in special education. Exceptional Children, 71(2), 165-179. Odom, S.L. (2005). Research in special education: Scientific methods and evidence-based practices. Exceptional Children, 71(2), 137-148. This book review on No Child Left Behind was written and submitted by user Maximilian Duke to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.