69ý

Education

Standards Bearers

June 22, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

NCLB may not be universally winning the hearts and minds of educators, but it’s made substantial gains in how the public views it, according to a survey released this week.

Public awareness of the legislation has virtually doubled since 2001, with 61 percent of the general public saying they’ve now heard a “great deal” or a “fair amount” about NCLB, according to an sponsored by the Educational Testing Service released on June 22. What’s more, 45 percent of those surveyed said they held a favorable opinion of the legislation.

Small wonder why: According to the ETS survey, for which Republican and Democratic pollsters worked together to query 2,250 adults, only 9 percent of the general public believes that high schools “set high academic expectations for students.” On average, the public gives the nation’s schools a C average, though parents polled gave their children’s own schools grades averaging to a B, the survey said. And for that reason, it seems, the public is supportive of change in many forms: Some 48 percent of those polled say schools need either “major changes” or a “complete overhaul.”

More on the Web

is available from .

“The States of NCLB,” from the October issue of Teacher Magazine, examines legislative challenges to the NCLB.

The offers a on NCLB.

In January, the nation’s governors, along with business and education leaders, convened a .

In a January , researchers at Ball State University found that states requiring high school graduation exams have lower college-entrance-exam scores.

a report by the , looks at attempts to make secondary schools more responsive to students’ needs.

Beyond such vague terms, the survey found wide public support for a variety of NCLB-like propositions, including ensuring that teachers are experts in the subjects they teach (74 percent) and requiring students to pass statewide graduation tests (80 percent). A majority support a “rigorous course of study” for all students, including computer science, four years of English, three years of history/civics and science, and two years of a foreign language, and 55 percent say all schools, students, and teachers should be held to the same performance standards regardless of students’ backgrounds.

“Americans believe in standards and accountability,” says ETS president and CEO Kurt Landgraf, whose organization, it goes without saying, put the word “standard” into standardized testing. “And they want reform efforts expanded to address pressing quality issues with our nation’s high schools.”

Not surprisingly, teachers were far less likely to favor the one-size-fits-all approach to performance standards, 26 percent to the public’s 55 percent. And only one-quarter of high school teachers hold favorable opinions about NCLB, a disconnect with public opinion that Republican pollster David Winston called “worrisome.”

—Mark Toner

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: October 2, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: September 18, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: August 28, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: August 21, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read