Joel Packer: Reaching New Heights of Failure

In event after event at the 2008 Olympics, records were shattered while millions of people watched athletes going faster, higher and better than most of us can imagine. Well, a lot of other records in the U.S. have also been shattered lately, but not ones to cheer about. And we should be worried about who's paying attention to these new records.

Listen to the podcast and send your questions to Joel@nea.org.

Hi. I'm Joel Packer. Welcome to another podcast.

The 2008 Olympics have ended and what a show. In event after event, records were shattered, including records for audience. Tens of millions of people watched and shared the experience of athletes going faster, higher and better than most of us can imagine.

Well, a lot of other records in the U.S. have also been shattered lately, but not ones to cheer about. And we should be worried about who's paying attention to these new records.

I'm referring to the number of schools failing to meet the No Child Left Behind law's so-called Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) mandates. AYP is the out-of-bounds line under the relentless teach and learn-to-the-test game imposed on public education by NCLB. Step outside the line by stumbling on a single high-stakes test and schools are subject to punishment. Actually there are 37 or more out-of-bounds lines set by NCLB.

As states have announced their test results throughout the summer, record numbers of schools are being judged as failing. Here are some examples:

• Georgia: the percentage of schools failing AYP increased from 17.8 percent to 31.2 percent, with only 47.8 percent of high schools making AYP.


• Minnesota: the percentage of schools not making AYP rose from 38 percent to 49 percent.


• Missouri: Only one-fourth of all school districts and about 40 percent of school buildings met AYP this year.


• New Hampshire: the number of schools "in improvement" (for failing AYP at least two years in a row) increased from 133 to 183.


• New Mexico : the percentage of schools failing AYP jumped from 58.5 percent to 68.2 percent while the number of schools in restructuring doubled from 84 to 170.


• Oregon: the percentage of schools not making AYP increased from 21 percent last year to 35.1 percent this year. Statewide, only 35.8 percent of high schools made AYP.


• Wisconsin : the number of schools failing AYP jumped from 87 to 156.

With the Democratic convention starting this week, followed shortly by the Republican convention, educators throughout the country will be carefully listening to what the candidates and other elected officials have to say about NCLB and its flawed test, label, and punish one-size-fits-all scheme.

The public agrees that NCLB needs a fundamental overhaul. Just last week, a PDK/Gallup poll found that only 16 percent of the public want the law extended without change, compared to 42 percent who want significant changes and 25 percent who want it to expire. That's 67 percent of Americans opposed to the current law. That's an audience that can make a difference in November.

I'm Joel Packer. Thanks for listening!