WASHINGTON, May 31 (UPI) -- Facing federal sanctions, some U.S. schools are reducing or skipping courses in sciences in favor of improving reading, the Washington Times said Monday.
The tradeoffs are being made across the country primarily at public schools that have low test scores and large numbers of poor children in efforts to comply with the No Child Left Behind Act passed in 2001. The act was pushed by President George Bush because, he said, too many children leave school unequipped to succeed and "there must be consequences for schools that won't teach and won't change."
In Virginia, one educator praised the return to the "three R's."
"Once they learn the fundamentals of reading, writing and math, they can pick up science and social studies on the double-quick," said Jerry Weast, superintendent of Montgomery County schools. "You're not going to be a scientist if you can't read."
In 2008, the No Child Left Behind Act adds science to the reading and math tests that states must give.
Schools face strict sanctions if standards do not rise, including the possibility of a state takeover in 2006.
