VALDOSTA —
Georgia schools may be sighing in relief today, following the announcement that the U.S. Department of Education granted a waiver to the state, along with nine others, from the rigorous requirements of the No Child Left Behind act.
The Act was a well-meaning piece of legislation aimed at providing a blueprint for the government to identify areas where students, teachers and schools were not performing to a set list of standards.
Most of the performance was judged solely on test scores from standardized tests, leaving many teachers no option but to teach to the test rather than to the subject matter.
It also left many children farther behind as the goals were unrealistic to attain for many school systems, particularly rural ones, without the resources to attract high-level teachers or obtain needed technology.
The Act passed in 2002 and was supposed to be revised based on its first years in play in 2007. Unfortunately, like so many other things in Congress, no one could come to a consensus on what to change, so it has stayed in its original form. No one appears to disagree on Capitol Hill that the Act is unfair in many ways and needs a good rewrite, but no one seems to agree on how to go about it.
President Barack Obama’s announcement Thursday was welcome in a state that has been near the bottom of education lists for decades.
This doesn’t lower the standards for Georgia per se, it simply gives the state more control and flexibility over those standards and applying them fairly in a state where the poverty level is also near the bottom of the list.
Preparing children for the future is the Act’s goal, but it’s long been known that there are issues, discrepancies and disparities in No Child Left Behind. At least the federal government listened to states grappling with the issues, trying to attain goals that were impossible to meet, rather than to continue holding funding hostage from the states that so desperately need it.
What We Think
Leaving NCLB behind
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Congratulations, VSU Softball!
This weekend, Valdosta State University Blazers Softball became the latest team to add to Valdosta’s TitleTown legacy.
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School’s out so watch out!
Summer is a time of rest, vacations and trips. It is a time when school is out, when people take time off from work, when people may stay out a little later. It is a time of swimming, trying new things, and seeking adventure.
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Qualifiers are next leaders
While the national media focuses attention on the presidential election, it should be remembered that we will also choose our local leaders this year.
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Thumbs up
THUMBS UP: To the 2011-12 arts season. Theatre Guild Valdosta’s rollicking comedy, “Caught in the Net,” officially brings to a close a magnificent schedule of shows ranging from theatre to opera to concerts to art exhibits and more from a variety of area venues. Theatre Guild will also open the 2012-13 season this summer with the musical “Into the Woods.” Until then, arts lovers can soon enjoy a new series of exhibits from the year-round Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts and three musicals starting in two weeks from Peach State Summer Theatre.
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Events that get things done
Finding something that repeatedly attracts the public is difficult enough, but finding an event that accomplishes that feat while also promoting your organization and helping others … well, in many places, that’s a rarity.
Not so for the Valdosta area. -
Furloughs: They beat the alternative
As summer break nears, many area education boards have spent the final school days preparing faculty and staff for furloughs for the 2012-13 calendar.
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Getting a jump on hurricane season
Come June 1, the 2012 hurricane season begins and lasts through Nov. 30.
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A few thoughts for new graduates
Graduation ceremonies reflect how life marches on. For the students receiving their diplomas and degrees, graduation is a culmination of the majority of their lives’ work.
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Video helps veterans
During Thursday night’s Military Officers Association of America meeting, the local chapter shared a video presentation regarding the Community Blueprint program, which is also known as Valdosta Veterans First.
For those unfamiliar with Community Blueprint, Valdosta is one of three cities across the nation selected as a pilot city for the program. -
Happy Mother's Day!
Mother. Mama. Mommy. Ma. Mom. She fed us when we were too small to feed ourselves. She nurtured us, clothed us, cleaned us, protected us.
She helped us form our first words. - More What We Think Headlines
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Congratulations, VSU Softball!
