No Child Left Behind A Diminished Vision of Civil Rights

1. No Child Left BehindA Diminished Vision of Civil Rights James Crawford Institute for Language and Education Policywww.elladvocates.org October 26, 2007

2. No Child Left Behind Act�Accountability� and School Reform There is always an easy solution to every human problem � neat, plausible, and wrong. � H. L. Mencken � and certain to have unintended consequences.

3. High-Stakes Testing Perverse Incentives Frustrating goals of educational equity, high standards, school improvement Heavy emphasis on test prep Curriculum narrowed to 2 subjects Stress on basic skills vs. critical thinking Lowering the proficiency bar Pushing out or holding back �problem� kids Demoralizing dedicated teachers Discouraging native-language instruction

4. Test & Punish AccountabilityNo Evidence That It Works Top-down, prescriptive �reforms� have a poor record of success Fear and anxiety are poor motivators for improving performance A single standardized test provides a limited measure of student progress Measurement alone doesn�t lead to school improvement NAEP scores don�t support claims that NCLB is working

5. Politics of NCLB Seizing the Rhetorical High Ground Who is against � �accountability�? �high expectations�? closing �achievement gaps�? �adequate yearly progress�? kids scoring on �grade level�? �scientifically based� programs? leaving no child behind? � Goals that are hard to oppose

6. Framing the DebateTerminology Counts Frames are mental structures that shape the way we see the world. � When you hear a word, its frame is activated in your brain. � George Lakoff Don�t Think of an Elephant

7. Framing the Debate Increasing Usage of �Achievement Gap� New York Times archives: 1981-90 � 4 articles 1991-98 � 14 articles 1999-00 � 59 articles 2001-06 � 217 articles 2007 � 35 articles

8. Whatever Happened to ��Equal Educational Opportunity� New York Times archives: 1981-90 � 86 articles 1991-98 � 66 articles 1999-00 � 4 articles 2001-06 � 12 articles 2007 � 3 articles

9. Framing School Reform New York Times, 1981-2006

10. Framing School Reform Los Angeles Times, 1981-2006

11. Framing School Reform Boston Globe, 1981-2006

12. Framing School Reform Chicago Tribune, 1981-2006

13. Framing School Reform Education Week, 1981-2006

14. Framing School Reform Washington Post, 1981-2006

15. �Achievement Gap� Frame vs. �Equal Educational Opportunity� Paradigm shift = political shift Focus on �outputs� Short-term �measurable results� Pressure applied to schools, kids De-emphasize �inputs� Adequate, equitable resources Professional development Effective pedagogies Capacity-building Opportunity to learn

16. Why Framing Matters�Truth-Telling� is Insufficient People think in frames � To be accepted, the truth must fit people�s frames. If the facts do not fit a frame, the frame stays and the facts bounce off. � George Lakoff Don�t Think of an Elephant

17. Facts Bounce OffWhat Perverse Effects? There's a lot of objections to No Child Left Behind � I understand that. � People say, well, they're just teaching to test. Uh-uh. We're teaching a child to read so they can pass a reading test. � � George W. Bush October 15, 2007

18. NCLB RationaleTest Scores = Learning As the saying goes, �What gets measured gets done.� When we assess every student, we make sure every child counts. � Secretary Margaret Spellings Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts. � Albert Einstein

19. NCLB Impact NAEP Reading Scores, 1992-2007

20. NCLB Impact NAEP Math Scores, 1990-2007

21. NCLB Impact White, Hispanic Reading Scores, 1992-2007

22. NCLB ImpactIs It Working for ELLs? The Claim: On the Nation�s Report Card, ELLs� 4th grade reading scores increased by 20 points from 2000 to 2005 � more than 3 times better than their peers. � Secretary Margaret Spellings

23. NCLB ImpactLong-Term Trend 4th Grade Reading, NAEP Scale Scores

24. NCLB ImpactLong-Term Trend 8th Grade Reading, NAEP Scale Scores

25. NCLB-Style Accountability Based on Assumptions Schools are responsible for achievement gaps failing to work hard enough, long enough low expectations for minority students resistance to change �making excuses� for poor performance Solution: set high standards, test often, punish failure No need to: provide substantial new resources address non-school factors

26. NCLB AssumptionsWhat�s Missing? �Blame-it-on-the-schools� view ignores: Impact of poverty & its effects substandard housing; poor health, nutrition; family instability, illiteracy; lack of books in home Racial segregation 70% of ELLs concentrated in 10% of schools high-ELL schools (25%+) are 77% minority Funding inequities between schools lack of adequate funding for ELLs NCLB justifies avoidance of inequality

27. Civil Rights RationaleAccountability = �Attention� Low achievement by some students is often masked by overall averages Excluding ELLs from �accountability� allows schools to ignore their needs Requiring subgroups to meet same AYP will force schools to �pay attention� to them More �attention� will raise test scores, close achievement gaps Result: no child left behind

28. Civil Rights Objections�Attention� Can Be Harmful Perpetuating 2-tier education system Stress on test prep, basic skills in reading, math Setting ELLs up for failure by testing in English Increasing dropouts and �pushouts� Discouraging teachers from working w/ ELLs Excluding ELLs from opportunities Inaccurate data drives decision-making Pressure to dismantle bilingual programs

29. Bilingual Education in NYCDeclining Enrollment of ELLs, 2003-2006

30. Authentic Accountability �Reform� Needs to Address Obstacles to ELL achievement Poverty, segregation, and their effects Limited access to books in any language Resource inequities between schools Shortages of bilingual and ESL teachers Inadequate professional development Poorly designed instructional programs Opposition to research-based practices Focus on what�s special about ELLs

31. NCLB vs. Lau v. NicholsIgnoring the Unique Needs of ELLs There is no equality of treatment merely by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks, teachers, and curriculum; for students who do not understand English are effectively foreclosed from any meaningful education. � U.S. Supreme Court (1974)

32. Three Inconvenient TruthsNot Addressed by NCLB Most academic assessments for ELLs today are neither valid nor reliable ELLs are a diverse population, making it difficult to set reasonable targets for AYP ELL subgroup is not proficient by definition � a treadmill on which ELLs will never approach 100% proficiency

33. AccountabilityNCLB Is Just One Possible Approach Who is �held accountable�? Educators alone or policymakers at all levels Accountable to whom? Federal/state officials or local parents/communities Accountable for what? Basics in 2 subjects or all-round education

34. AccountabilityNCLB Is Just One Possible Approach How is accountability measured? Single multiple-choice test or multiple criteria How is accountability administered? Punitive sanctions or emphasis on capacity-building Why maintain an accountability system? Reassure taxpayers or improve instruction

35. Authentic AccountabilityKey Principles Accuracy make sure assessments are valid & reliable consider multiple measures, portfolios, alternate assessments Reasonableness judge schools on academic growth not arbitrary AYP targets never before achieved Equity recognize what�s special about ELLs, other groups tailor accountability systems to diverse students Balance consider not just �outputs� but �inputs� Casta�eda 3-prong test

36. Authentic AccountabilityKey Principles Flexibility leave pedagogical judgments to educators based on knowledge, experience, local needs Constructiveness stress capacity-building to better serve students technical assistance, not punitive sanctions Decentralization local design of accountability, state supervision feds restored to traditional roles, e.g., civil rights, research, dissemination

37. Advocacy AgendaShort & Long Term Perspectives NCLB reauthorization is only a beginning overhaul would be important step BUT in itself won�t eliminate high-stakes testing won�t broaden a diminished vision of civil rights Long-term needs alternative vision of equity & accountability that�s politically viable strategy, tactics, organization to realize it more educators willing to become advocates

38. Institute forLanguage and Education Policy P.O. Box 5960 Takoma Park, MD 20910 bilingualed@starpower.net www.elladvocates.org