YOUR COMMENTS

Stan you have no idea what you are talking about. Before you accuse us of not being able to educate the children, do your research. Again, I will not waste my time telling you. Stan, you have no idea what cases we deal with in the schools. Did you know that special ed kids are expected to perform at the same level as a regular ed kid? What difference does it make you might ask? Well, the special ed kid, unlike the regular ed kid, has a learning disability which impedes him from participating in the regular curriculum, but did you know that the tests present the regular curriculum? Before you criticize us, come and visit. Stan, why aren't you a teacher? If you could do a better job, you should sign up! I bet it is because you know you could NOT do a better job. It is easy to criticize what you are ignorant of.
- JT, Manchester

I teach at a high school in Manchester and I can tell you all this: a large percentage of the students taking the tests simply don't try. They feel like guinea pigs. Nobody knows who took which test. There is no incentive to do well. Many students fill in the bubbles in such a way as to make a picture or spell something. NCLB is a joke.

Elizabeth, I would think hard about your decision to go private with your kids education. Two studies released in the last two years, one of them a huge study ordered by the Bush administration in a backfired attempt to promote school vouchers, both showed conclusively that when you take a students' socio-economic background into account public schools do a better job than private schools. Of course, private schools appear to do better, but when you compare apples to apples the public schools are better in almost every area. Public school teachers generally are more highly educated, have greater certification requirements, have more ongoing training, and have access to a more diverse group of colleagues. Also, the studies showed, the challenges unique to teaching in a public school make those teachers more effective at teaching all their students.
- Fred, Amherst

Robin has nailed it. - Parents should take the responsibility of playing a part in educating their children. A child should be able to read and have basic math skills BEFORE he/she even starts school.

It's too easy to sit back and blame teachers, the mayor, or even Bush for everything that goes wrong.
- William M. Howard, Exeter

This is exactly why my child will be in private school next year. NCLB is a joke and many teachers would tell you that. My third grader has had a sub a mimimum of 2 days a week for the last 6 weeks due to the testing and workshops and such required. Its a joke. There's no consistancy. The kids getting left behind are the bright ones, so they're going to private school. That's having an impact on the tests as well.

I'll look at my taxes as an income tax deduction and smile every day that I'm able to afford to get my child out of this deplorable school district.
- Elizabeth, Manchester, NH

Robin, Hooksett. Thank you for stating your opinions. I share and agree with them.
I am convinced that the Federal takeover of our educational system and NCLB are the major reasons for all the so-called "failures" of our school systems. The equally disturbing problem is the number of parents who can't be bothered to provide parental guidance and support as role models for their children during this developmental process and blame the teachers and then insist that throwing more money at the problem regardless of ability to pay is the answer to the "problem".
The really damning factor are our state legislators who use the Federal mandates as cudgels to raise millions and billions under the guise of education only to be scheming how to spend it elsewhere.
It's time to get back to basics and take local control of education back. Only then will we have a chance to give our children what the really need.
- sandy, thornton

"Teachers are not looking for an endless supply of money"

Exactly...I would be happy with paper so I don't have to run final exams off at kinkos and computers from this century! I don't think that's asking for too much
- Scott, Manchester

After reading all of the posted comments, I am at a loss of where to start, because there are so many issues to address. I do not agree with all the postings, but as an educated, open-minded individual, I realize that everyone has the right to voice their opinion. But, I am saddened that some people were not able to make their points in a positive, non-emotional manner.

1) The Education Process - This is not just the responsibility of teachers. Parents and children need to be accountable members of the education process. Parents must show their children that school and learning is important. When children have good role models to follow, it is amazing what they can accomplish.

2) AYP Results - The media chooses to report AYP results without a full explanation of what the numbers mean and how the numbers are calculated. The best way to explain this is by using an example: the current 6th grade students are being compared to last year's 6th grade students. Rather than looking to see if the current 6th grade students did better than last year's 5th grade students. The focus of testing should be placed on individual growth, but the current method does not measure this growth.

3) Return to Teaching Basics - The curriculums being developed and taught today, do focus on the basics, but they also look forward to include concepts and ideas that today's children will need as adults. A child's home is a perfect place to reinforce the basics of math, writing and reading.

4) Funding - This is an issue with many components. Teachers are not looking for an endless supply of money. They are simply looking for support from their town/city, the state of NH and the Federal Government that is necessary to meet required mandates.
- Robin, Hooksett

Everyone is right in their own way. The No Child Left Behind law is a bunch of garbage.
Manchester has a very high rate of school dropouts. Baines should have been re-elected and now we are stuck with Guinta who can't make a right decision if he tried. And thanks to all the idiots who voted for Bush too. And by the way Bill B., the schools in New York are very good. Manchester schools don't offer classes to these kids that steer them towards a career and goals. All it is is math, english and social studies. When I was a kid in High School in New York, I majored in Business in High School. I feel real bad for my children and all the children in Manchester.
- Robin, Manchester

Has anyone considered the following:
Due to the vast amounts of standardized tests forced upon these particular students, these students may have delivered false answers!

I have two students over at West, at a recent game a number of the bragged about how they and their friends were so "angry" (my word) that they protested by giving false answers.

In their words, "We felt like lab rats." Tired of being tested, retested and then retested again and rather than saying something, they simply chose to mess with the answers/results.

Sad--I of course shared with them the impact of that choice and how wrong it was to do what they did. Further explained how it would harm more than it helped and how despite their anger -they were required to answer honestly and to their best ability.

Some of the kids got it, but they their feeling about the administration at West is so hostile-I'm afraid it may too little too late.
- AA, Bedford

Richard don't fool yourself. Educational policies and curriculum are controlled in large part by the UN and the Feds hand down the laws that enforce the UN's wishes. NY is just as bad if not worse.

Most of education today is only geared toward socialization and one-size-fits-all attitudes-based learning, ala the Al Gore films.

Kids must be taught to abide by world government and the UN's Millenium Development Goals. The shake up in the 90s with 'school reform' ruined any semblance of common sense in education. Money is spent foolishly on fuzzy math programs and other fads while teachers struggle to teach under the new rules.

Only when schools get back to teaching skills and dump this 'best practices' (and other eduspeak) nonsense, will we have good education once again.
- Jane, Bedford

Boy, am I happy my kids aren't in Manchester anymore. I also agree w/ Michael above. Start teaching the basics and get the hell away from agenda propaganda.
- Chris, Bedford

I have to agree with Mr. Vega. As a result of the 'special ed' not being correct in any way, shape or form. As a result of this, my son ended up dropping out, teachers are hiding behind the union and/or their tenure in order to not follow IEP's nor correct them. I am not saying all teachers are doing this, I just know from experience that 2 out of the 3 I dealt with did nothing to help my son. One of them even cost the district $45k one year because a student of theirs had to go to the Sylvan Learning center and the city had to pick up the tab. I also feel that we would be doing much better if at least not moving in the right direction had Mr. Baines been re-elected as well. I have much more to say on the subject but it would probably not make the board if I were to continue and I will leave it at that.
- cb, Manchester, NH

Chcuck sorry to fill you in but special ed etc are tested at the same level as other students. As you and others like you slam Bush for this how about Kennedy and his honcho's that helped push it through Congress? How come you never hear nothing about them? I swear some of you want to blame anything and everything that is wrong in this country on Bush. Get a grip because sorry to say he is not.
It is not his fault these schools have not brought up their standards in five years. It is a variety of reasons and the usual "we need more money" is not always the answer as much as you and those like you would want us all to think that.
- Bill B., Pelham

Mr. Vega I am not sure what part of NY your in but I will say that my daughter lives in NY and their schools are far wrose than ours. You want uneducated then go to the streets of NY city and talk to those kids beofree you slam our whole states educational system. I agree there are problems but to say we have substandard education is just plain wrong. The problem as always is having the resources to do what needs to be done. The parents hold some responsibility too. If your child comes home and you do not make sure they are doing their home work and helping or getting help if they need it, then the parents are failing too.
It does trouble me when I see schools that have been failing for 5 years. It makes no sense that they have not done something to bring standards up.
All I can say to most of you is "ask a teen to count change back without the help of the register". Let me know how well they do.
I agree with one of the posters on here. if they are not held accountable for thier test grades and there are no ramifications why should it matter to them?
- Bill B., Pelham

No Child Left Behind is flawed.

The law does a disservice to our students, teachers, and schools.

It would be helpful if the UL explained how NCLB assessments are reached. Posting the results, without explaining the assessment, incorrectly paints the Manchester School District as a failure during the budget crisis.

NCLB needs to be scrapped. Student progress should be measured in a more realistic manner. How can special ed students, ell students, etc. be tested at the same level as the general school population?

Another George Bush fiasco...an unfunded mandate that should disappear when a new president takes office.
- Chuck, Manchester

"The blame game?" That's a coy phrase used by Educrats to deflect criticism of their failed policies to give children a good education. Get ready for: "We have too many poor/disabled/immigrant children; we don't have enough money (!) we don't have enough teachers, etc. etc." Let's take all the Leftist "socialization skills" out of the classroom for starters, then let's get rid of the teachers who want to show Al Gore films all day instead of teaching math, science, writing skills and geography. Our kids will NEVER be able to compete with China if we don't do this NOW.
- Michael, Manchester

I would be interested to see the DOE compare testing data to financial data. Is there ANY correlation between dollars spent and test scores? It *feels* like there should be, but we don't know until we match up the data and confirm it.
- LB, Manch

Here we go again. The blame game. Let's put it where it belongs. No Child Left Behind is a great concept,but without proper funding, that's what has failed miserably. Education, on the other hand, is not only a teacher's job, but a parent's job as well. While outside activities are great and necessary, our kids need their education more. Few kids will grow up to be star musicians or athletes, etc. Those things are important for well rounded adults, but their actual education is the key to their future.
- Mary, Manchester

Some serious research needs to be completed before people start pointing fingers...these results, as well as the tests that determined them are completely misleading. Consider the population of students and the fact that these students have NO REASON to care about doing well on THESE tests. Tell me how many people make themselves accountable for something that has absolutely no bearing on their lives...it's the society we live in.
- Kate, Manchester

Having no background in education or government I would venture to guess this issue needs to be addressed by looking at the specific communities and the socio-economic makeup of the communities. Without having done any research I would simply guess that the communities that have failed to meet AYP standard 5 years in a row probably exist in similar type communities. The Hopkinton school district has a reputation as being an excellent one. Who resides in Hopkinton? A large enough population of people who are educated enough and have the financial resources to ensure their children recieve a good primary education. People who hold the school accountable. People who have the time and money to get involved. I would guess again that there is not a large population of children in Hopkinton going to school hungry or without the necesssary "tools" they require for the day. This is not to imply that the town of Hillsborough does not have wonderful parents providing for their children...but I would guess that Hillsborough and the other five towns facing restructuring probably have a higher percentage of parents within the community struggling to make ends meet. Parents who are stressed and taxed to the maximum with life's daily demands and who succumb to the ills of that stress, their children being the ultimate victims. I think the school boards, superintendants, principals and teachers need to truly know their community and commit to a method and policies that address the specific needs of the children of the community. I love Jane Cowen-Fletcher's "It takes a whole village to raise a child" and I feel strongly that sometimes it is the "village" that needs looking after so that the child can prosper.
- Lisa Cahill, Hillsborough, NH

Isn't that just great. And the school boards answer to it is not to lay off the precious teachers but to cut programs for the kids. Who is the school board fooling when they say they are there for the children.
- Russ, Manchester

Manchester teachers want what kind of money and they can not even educate the students.
Hold the line Frank, Hold the line.
- Stan Howser, Manchester, NH

I'm glad my family and I left before the school system there totally uneducated my children. NH's problems have been there as long as I could remember. They couldn't even get Special Ed. requirements right. Manchester in my opinon had a shot at getting education back on track had it only re-elected Baines.
- Richard Vega, Clifton Park, New York