Bush’s no child left behind has good intentions, but I don’t think it is working. Why? Because of human nature and money.

In Texas, schools are financially rewarded for how well they do on the TASS. So the districts are making the students study for these test. The test are really supposed to test what the students have learned from their curriculum during the year. It is supposed to make sure the teachers are teaching correctly and the students are learning. It is not supposed to be part of the curriculum. But because there is money at stake, the School Districts want as many students to pass as possible, so they pressure each school into making the students study for this test.

What I would do. Bring back the achievement test we took in the 70’s. This test didn’t mean you passed or failed, it just assessed what you knew and let the teachers know what to work on.

Let the teachers pass or fail the students based on their performance in the classroom, like we did in the good old days.

I would say schools that do poor need more money than those that do well, but I can see districts urging their schools to do poor so they can get more money.

Just give money to the schools equally per student count.

If they must continue the TASS test, penalize any district that makes its students to study specifically for that test. And take it out of Elementary schools. 3rd, 4th and 5th graders don’t need that kind of pressure.