Vnotes-外报外刊阅读-Final Exam for Education Policy.pdf

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1、ViveReading1@VnotesFinalExamforEducationPolicyAselectionsloom,BarackObamatriestoreformAmerica’sschoolsAMERICA’Sschoolsaredottedwithstoriesofprogress.InDecemberyourcorrespondentwatchedaclassofseven-year-oldsonChicago’spoorWestSide.AsMauriciaDantes,aconsultantforIBMbeforesheretrainedasateacher,ledthep

2、upilsinadiscussionaboutthedeaf-and-blindauthorHelenKeller,onesmallgirldeclared:“IfeellikeI’mincollege.”Oneday,thankstoMsDantesandotherteachers,shemaybe.BarackObamawantssuchscenestobetheruleratherthantheexception.Thequestioniswhatthefederalgovernmentcandotohelp.TenyearsagoCongresspassedtheNoChildLeft

3、BehindAct(NCLB),aboldefforttoimproveAmerica’sschools.OnMarch14thMr.ObamaannouncedthathewantstopassanewversionbyAugust.Itcouldbeoneofhismostimportantfeats.Butitwillnotbeeasy.ThemainproblemisthatpoliticiansstilldisagreeonWashington’sroleineducation.Thefederalgovernmentprovideslessthan10%ofthemoneyscho

4、olsspend.ButNCLB,themostrecentincarnationofthe1965ElementaryandSecondaryEducationAct,gavethefederalgovernmentunprecedentedinfluence.Statesmustsetstandardsofachievement.Schoolsthatfailtomakeprogressfacesanctions.NCLBexposedthedismalperformanceofschools.ButithasalsodemonstratedhowclumsyWashington’shan

5、dcanbe.Arequirementfor“highlyqualified”teachersturnsouttohavehelpedkeepstatesfromhiringgoodones.Statestandardsdivergewildly.NCLB’smaingoal,forallpupilstobeproficientinreadingandmathby2014,isunrealistic.Andthankstoanoddwayofjudgingschools,morethan80%maybelabeledas“failing”thisyear.Mr.Obamahasalreadyo

6、fferedonenewmodel:danglecarrotsforreformandhopethatstatesbite.Thestimulusofferedmorethan$4billioningrantsforstatesthatmadecertainchanges,suchasliftingcapsonthenumberofcharterschoolsanddevisingnewwaystoevaluateteachers.Nostatehadtoapplyforthegrantprogram,RacetotheTop,but46did.WiththenewversionofNCLB,

7、Mr.Obamacangofurther.Hewantstosetcleargoalsbutgivestatesmoreflexibilityinmeetingthem.HisplanwouldfixNCLB’smostobviousfailings,suchasneglectingtotracktheprogressofindividualpupils.Onlytheworstschoolswo