Pimping No Child[‘s] Left Behind inWashington, DC.

Stating the Obvious, Part I

I was in Max Brooks’ class. He’s not here either, but he is the facilitator in what’s called a SmartLab. They didn’t have SmartLabs when I was going to elementary or junior high school.

Stating the Obvious, Part II

I know the kids don’t like tests, and I didn’t like it either, to be honest with you.

He Was Shuffled

See, let’s be frank about it. We had a system that just shuffled kids through grade after grade. I know some say that wasn’t the case, but it was — let me just say, my state, the place I was familiar with. It’s so much easier, when you think about it, just to say, okay, if you’re such and such a grade, you’re supposed — age, you’re supposed to be in this grade, and just shuffle them through.

That’s A Fancy Word Ya’ Got There

This initiative says that when we find a child that needs help, that child gets extra help. In other words, if a child is falling behind. Remember, I keep talking about individual children. It used to be when they measured, they just measured everybody, you know. And now we’re forcing them to disaggregate results. That’s a fancy word for saying, just split individuals out so we know.

Screw Asia

And that’s what’s happened to some of the students right here. Asia Goode — where’s Asia? Oh, thank you for coming, Asia. Can I quote you? Thank you. I was going to quote you anyway.

Psst… Ixnay on the Often-say Esires-day

The No Child Left Behind Act is good progress, but we’ve got a lot of work to do, and it starts with making sure that here in Washington we don’t soften our desire to hold schools accountable.

Er, Uh, You Know — Where Those People Live

You know, when you find a good teacher, a good high-quality teacher in a — for example, an inner-city district needs help, or a rural district needs help, there ought to be a bonus system available, an incentive program to say to a teacher, thanks; thanks for heading into some of the — you know, an area that is — that needs help, and here’s a little incentive to do so.