No Child should assess individuals as well

STANFORD, Calif., Aug. 22 (UPI) -- The No Child Left Behind Act measuring stick needs tinkering to better assess and identify failing schools, a new study reported.

To improve the law's accountability system, a Hoover Institution report in Education Next recommended using a more accurate method to measure academic progress and holding students, teachers and administrators accountable for student education improvement. The law currently looks at whether schools as entities are making adequate yearly progress toward full proficiency by 2014.

Paul E. Peterson of Harvard University, who wrote the report for the Stanford University institute, proposes initiating a grading scale -- A through F -- focusing solely on student growth. He noted such a tracking system wasn't possible when NCLB was enacted but that several states have implemented such student-focused systems since.

Peterson said accountability must include individuals -- students, teachers and administrators. Currently, schools, school districts and states are recognized for either gains or lack of progress.

States have enacted individual-based measures, Peterson said, but a nationwide mandate is necessary to identify whether schools are effective.

Congressional members have announced plans to consider changes to NCLB’s method of measuring schools’ progress.