Talk about a misnomer

This is an example of why No Child Left Behind is horrible legislation and a comlete misnomer... it not only leaves children behind, it runs them over first.

My son is in special education, so I've seen firsthand how his accommodations adversely affect his school's or classroom's "grade" and it infuriates me. He's been fortunate enough to have fabulous teachers all his life, teachers who have kept him at grade level when it would be so easy for him to fall hopelessly behind. And yet, his schools are considered "failing."

It's ludicrous. These standardized tests by their very nature don't take into account where a child started out. If my son started kindergarten unable to write his own name and ended up being able to write it in something approaching legibility, that's HUGE progress for him. But because he can't write his name at the same level as his peers, his teachers have somehow failed?

It's garbage and gives absolutely no real measure for how schools are really doing.

Schools need accountability, absolutely. But No Child Left Behind isn't it.