Spring Break
Children left behind
Disadvantaged students are overlooked by President Bush's education plan
By: Adam Scharn
Issue date: 2/8/05 Section: Opinion
What matters is that each student in every state has equal opportunity and access to an education of the highest quality. Pushing students into special education does not provide for such an opportunity. Instead, it does these children a disservice, on so many levels.
First of all, the special education exemption sends a message to schoolchildren that there are ways out, even for those who fail. The exemption undermines the ability of a student who learns at a slower pace in some areas but is nonetheless fully capable of grasping a concept. Testing has led to division among students, rather than an attempt to enable all children to reach their individual potential.
"In the end, the high stakes testing has led to a major increase in children being tested for and served in special education. This has led to far more children being held to the testing standards and being pushed into special education," McCormack said.
Furthermore, it shows the school administration's lack of concern about fully educating all of the youth within their care. If a teacher can actually push academically below-standard children into special education classrooms, someone in charge may be more concerned with money than teaching.
The special education exemption, when abused, bypasses the purpose of the No Child Left Behind Act. Those who do not truly need such services should not be pushed into the category simply to hide their potentially low test scores. Doing so reveals as much about the ineffectiveness of a teacher or a school as if the child were to take the test and fail.
First of all, the special education exemption sends a message to schoolchildren that there are ways out, even for those who fail. The exemption undermines the ability of a student who learns at a slower pace in some areas but is nonetheless fully capable of grasping a concept. Testing has led to division among students, rather than an attempt to enable all children to reach their individual potential.
"In the end, the high stakes testing has led to a major increase in children being tested for and served in special education. This has led to far more children being held to the testing standards and being pushed into special education," McCormack said.
Furthermore, it shows the school administration's lack of concern about fully educating all of the youth within their care. If a teacher can actually push academically below-standard children into special education classrooms, someone in charge may be more concerned with money than teaching.
The special education exemption, when abused, bypasses the purpose of the No Child Left Behind Act. Those who do not truly need such services should not be pushed into the category simply to hide their potentially low test scores. Doing so reveals as much about the ineffectiveness of a teacher or a school as if the child were to take the test and fail.
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