Tuel, Kris

Pederson, P. V. (2007). What is measured is treasured: The impact of the Co Child Left Behind Act on nonassessed subjects. Clearing House, 80(6), 287-291.

Summary:

This article reports on a study of the results of a national survey on No Child Left Behind (NCLB) on non-assessed subjects, such as social studies and humanities classes. The study showed that while the assessed subjects’ scores increased, the non-assessed subjects underperformed. The summation is that the redirected resources towards the assessed subjects is taking away from the non-assessed, leaving a measurable gap in social studies, art, humanities, and technology.

Evaluation:

I have never been a proponent of NCLB because of the way curriculum and instruction is developed around tests, rather than having a broad-serving curriculm. Having worked with teachers that are frustrated with standards-based teaching, I thought this article did a very good job at pointing out some of the learning gaps that have resulted from NCLB’s focus on science and math.

Label: CA-Curriculum Assessment