John Cornyn's Possitive Plan For The No Child Left Behind Act

[John Cornyn-SAC]

Since the early 1960’s the United States Government has been trying to figure out a way to improve the Department of Education. There have been so many changes since this time, but there has been little improvement. We have seen the numbers increase in high school drop outs, the cost of various reforms continuously increasing, and most importantly our educators trying to find a way to over come this crisis. This is a fact that the No Child Left Behind, or NCLB Act has had an impact, especially on students and our educators. The NCLB Act has been in existence for many years. It isn’t till recently that it has been revised and passed once again in January 2002 by our President George Bush, who is the co-sponsor of the NCLB Act. In No Child Left Behind (2004), Heath and Wright state that “our schools and our future: are still at risk? The National commission published A Nation Risk, nearly two generations of students have passed through U.S. schools, and real per pupil spending has risen by 50 percent. Twenty years of entering first graders about 80 million children-have walked into schools where they have scant chance of learning much more then the youngsters in 1983” (11-12) .This book states that there has been no improvement. This new reform has left many schools, teachers, and states frustrated. President Bush wanted to allow every student, white, black, Hispanic, intelligent, or mentally challenged, to have the same opportunity for a great education. NCLB is an attempt to give everyone this equal opportunity. Low socio-economic groups were one of the huge factors on why NCLB was passed by the federal government. The new reform is not making a difference in the child who is graduating from high school as a very weak critical thinker, weak problem solver, and with poor communication skills. These are questions and concerns that are still not being answered or resolved.

Senator John Cornyn’s position is for the NCLB Reform. He is looking for new and improved resources to be redirected into positive issues. He has consolidated federal education programs and funding to improve the NCLB Reform. He is looking for a better future in education. He wants to give everyone an opportunity to receive the best education possible, regardless of race or gender. He is also seeking to improve technology in the minority institutions, promoting Hispanic education initiatives, and providing new opportunities for families to save for college, along with many other positive issues. Senator Cornyn wants the NCLB Act to become a positive issue. He is also finding better ways to use the federal funding for the Department of Education. He wants to perfect this Act and make it happen. He represents and is the voice for all who are affected by this Act. On Cornyn’s home page, it states that “the NCLB Reform is built on the most worthy premises imaginable- that every child in America deserves the opportunity to receive a quality education, in order to fulfill his God-given potential. There are no critics of the law’s goal: standards, accountability, and superior schools.” Senator Cornyn is very interested that every soul in America receives an education. He wants to make sure that everyone is being treated equally and has a chance at an education. Also listed on Coryn’s home page is that “his bill has increased from $23.1 billion in 2001 to $38.7 billion in 2006.” He is looking to allocate federal funds for specific programs and special aid. He wants the funds to be spent wisely. He also wants the funds to make a difference in the expectancy of the law in Math and Reading by the year 2014. This is why the Senator has increased the funds. He wants to find open doors to build these important skills, and make the Act work.

Works Cited

Chubb, E. John, Within Our Reach. New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Inc,

2005.

Clemmitt, Marcia. “Do schools assign too much homework?” CQ Researcher 17 (2007).

Students Under Stress. CQ Researcher Online. San Antonio College Library, San

Antonio, Tx. 12 Nov. 2007.

Cornyn, John. Home page. 12 Nov. 2007.

<http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Home.Home>.

Mantel, Barbara. “Is the law improving student performance?” CQ Researcher 15

(2005). No Child Left Behind. CQ Researcher Online. San Antonio College Library,

San Antonio, Tx. 12 Nov. 2007

Wright, W.D. Peter, Wright, Pamela Darr, Heath, Suzanne Whitney. No Child Left

Behind. Hartfield, Virginia: Harbor House Law Press Inc, 2003.

This was researched by: Michelle Garcia

[Vanessa Valdez]

I agree with Coryn. Education is very important and it should be fixed to meet students standards. Children and everyone should have an opportunity to education and better themselves in life, no matter their status and race. The government should make improvements immediately to prevent the drop-out rates from increasing so rapidly.

[Tramell Tennyson]

I agree, our education system really needs to be fixed now. I didn't realize it was that detailed and complicated though. You did a really good job on your essay.

[Michelle Garcia]

In looking over the NCLB Act, I believe that the United States has the ability and power to improve the Department of Education. There is something that has to be done to get America to see that we are in need of a better education system. In Within Our Reach, (2005), Chubb states that “such an environment does not produce the best legislation and, if intense enough, could significantly weaken or even eliminate results-based accountability in American K-12 education” (10). There are many other factors that are involved with this Reform. In “CQ Researcher,” Mantel states that “the school to look at its students as a single, undifferentiated block. NCLB requires schools to divide students into subgroups — ethnic, racial, low-income, disabled and English-language learner — and each must meet the proficiency benchmarks as well. Schools also must test at least 95 percent of students in a subgroup, meet state-determined attendance requirements and improve high school graduation rates.” In this statement the requirements are almost impossible to achieve with so many obstacles in the way. The NCLB Act is simply too complicated to understand. In “CQ Researcher,” Clemmitt also states that “the average homework load for first- through third-graders has doubled over the past two decades, even though research shows homework doesn't benefit such young children. Indeed, some schools require preschoolers to tackle academic subjects like reading and writing.” This shows that the stress level for a young child is just too much for them to handle. The NCLB Reform is pushing these children to feel irritable and overloaded with homework. The NCLB is just too complicated to understand. There is no solid foundation. This is something that many Americans take for granted, assuming the government will solve it. This is why it is so important for our generation to speak their voice for their future education.