Editorial: Leave this act behind

Thursday, Dec. 27, 2007 | 7:18 a.m.

The federal law that sets performance goals for K-12 schools was supposed to be renewed this year by Congress. Not surprisingly, however, neither Democrats nor Republicans could muster the enthusiasm to do it.

Widely unpopular, the No Child Left Behind Act is likely to be renewed in 2008 - but with major changes. What those changes will be depends on which party prevails.

Republicans generally fault the law because it expands the federal role in education. They believe the states should be entrusted with setting academic standards and ensuring results.

Democrats generally say the law has been underfunded and that it so overemphasizes testing that students are being taught to memorize for the moment rather than learn for a lifetime.

Education Secretary Margaret Spellings recently tried to preserve the law, and along with it, President Bush's pursued legacy as a reformer of public schools. She boarded a school bus and attempted to win over crowds and politicians.

She was quoted by The New York Times, at the end of her very unmagical tour, as saying, "I killed myself. It's a minefield. If I were George Miller I'd be saying, 'How can I put Humpty Dumpty back together again?' "

Her reference was to Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., chairman of the House education committee. Miller was quoted by the Times as saying, "No Child Left Behind may be the most negative brand in America."

In our view, the law's stated purpose - to help underperforming, disadvantaged students improve their grades - is worthy. Unfortunately, as written, the law is susceptible to gamesmanship - schools are lowering their benchmarks for success so more students will appear to be doing well. Schools are also going to extreme measures, such as abolishing recess, to prepare students for all-important tests.

The law is quick to pronounce and punish failure. But it is blind to the innumerable children for whom gradual but small gains actually represent an educator's greatest success.

The goal of the law should remain, but its methods for reaching the goal should be entirely reworked.