Pantagraph.com | News | Nearly 900 Illinois schools fail to meet academic standards

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Vouchers. wrote on Oct 20, 2007 10:47 PM:

" School Vouchers anyone? That's much better than no child left behind. Privatize the schools and let the crappy ones go out of business while the parents all use thier vouchers to send their child to a good school. As for someone who said teachers are underpaid I don't think that after 10 years making 60+K for a undemanding task is bad.. "

JD to: To: Standards raised and JD wrote on Oct 20, 2007 1:55 PM:

" Where you do propose this money comes from? Already the Illinois congress can not pass a budget because there is not enough money to go around. So the choices are to reduce, or even eliminate, other social programs to better fund schools, or to increase residential taxation to better fund schools. Illinois residents have painted themselves into a corner. The state is at a point were either massive taxation is needed to continue the socialist mentality, or the infrastructure will fall apart. Combine this with people who can not afford any more taxation, and you get a very bleek picture. "

To: Standards raised and JD wrote on Oct 19, 2007 4:42 PM:

" Peoria cost per student: 10,234 ACT Score: 18.6 Dunlap cost per student: 7,068 ACT Score: 23.3 Let's throw more money at the problem, that'll get those test scores up! "

Standards Raised wrote on Oct 18, 2007 9:47 PM:

" The goal of the NCLB act is to get all schools on the same level by 2015 or somewhere in that time frame. That level is passing all tests with flying colors. It doesn't account for the resources available to the school, number of special education students (or the severity of their disability), in addition to socio-economic factors. The expectated levels that a school is supposed to attain go up every year as the date gets closer. Therefore, a school who may have just passed the standard last year, will likely fail the standard this year, NOT because the teachers don't care or because parents aren't there to help at home, it's because the school doesn't have the resources to provide so that all children can meet that standard. In order to get the resources (staff, materials), schools need more money that the government isn't providing them. "

NCLB wrote on Oct 18, 2007 9:25 PM:

" Not complaining about my job. In fact, I love it and would not think of doing anything else. I wake up every moring with a smile on my face and enjoy going to work. That comment was to all the people who are constantly bashing teachers thinking the job is so easy. Please to not tell me that I can still prepare myself for any other job I would like, I am already doing what I love. I preach that message to my students every day since more and more do not hear that message at home. Teaching students is a team effort made up of the parents(most important), community, and the teachers. As a teacher, it is very hard to overcome the failure of either of the other two. I am an expert at my job as you are an expert at yours. Do not come to my job and tell me how to do it, and I will not go to your job and do the same. "

To NCLB? wrote on Oct 18, 2007 8:20 PM:

" You said, "Teachers can only wish for the pay and work load of many other jobs." That's a defeatist attitude. You have the same opportunity to prepare yourself for any job you want. You chose teaching for one reason or another. You can still choose to prepare yourself for another line of work if you want. Spare us the whining. Make your choice and live with it, or do something else. "

NCLB? wrote on Oct 18, 2007 5:15 PM:

" No child left behind is great in theory, but poor in implimentation. Take a look at the history of test scores across the nation for the last 30 years. Schools have made improvements in tha ttime, but not as much as the govornment would like to see. 100% passing of all students is, and always has been, unrealistic. There are too many variables at play: parental support, community support, peer pressure, are just a few examples. Teachers care, period!!!!! The great pay alone is not enough to keep us in the classroom. Teachers can only wish for the pay and work load of many other jobs. "

To: The Blame wrote on Oct 18, 2007 2:38 PM:

" The better students have left for homeschooling or parochial schools. Hence, the ones left account for the lower scores. "

The Blame wrote on Oct 18, 2007 1:55 PM:

" If we have 4 teachers, and 3 are unsatisfactory, then we might consider 75% blame. However, the amazing part is that these are the worst scores in 5 years. What happened? "

Ridiculous! wrote on Oct 18, 2007 1:27 PM:

" The No Child Left Behind program does not work. This was established in TX and they continue to have the worst educational system in the US. And it's not the teacher's who are to blame. Children these days do not get the one on one help at home like they used to. A lot of schools do have special programs set up for before and after school for children to receive the extra help. Some teachers, yes, may not care, but a majority of teachers do. Teacher's these days can get in trouble for disciplining children, and many children are not as respectful. Video games and TV have taken over children really learning, and it's sad. The children and parents are more to blame than the majority of teachers. "

Blame Game? wrote on Oct 18, 2007 1:07 PM:

" The blame game is fun for those who do not accept responsibility for anything they do. Public schools and teachers are an easy target because anyone paying proerty tax has a right to complain. What are you doing to solve the problem? That is the question that should be asked of everyone. Move your kids to private or homeschool? Fine, it is a way out and makes it easy to blame those that have to folow regulations in a transparent process. Private schools do not have to follow the same rules, I would love to see their performance on the same tests, under the same conditions. Quit the balme game and become part of the solution. "

to the 80er wrote on Oct 18, 2007 12:42 PM:

" Anyone who says "all" in reference to a group is either kidding himself or herself or trying to fool another. Either way, it's not an honest view. Perhaps this trait is insightful into the character of teachers. My best friend is a teacher, and, though an otherwise wonderful person, has been teaching so long that she no longer cares much for the students, to put it mildly. "

JD wrote on Oct 18, 2007 12:29 PM:

" The residents of Illinois are to blame. Most schools are under funded, because the residents have sold out the kids educations for more social programs. The residents have screwed up priorities, and think that their is an endless supply of money for EVERYTHING they want. Now the piper is coming to get his dues. Now, because the residents basically want a nanny government, and socialist standards, the kids educations are suffering, the roads are in disrepair, and all levels of government are wanting to raise taxes more. This is the problem with a democracy. Ignorant voters elect ignorant politicians for ignorant agendas. "

TO BN REPUBLICAN wrote on Oct 18, 2007 11:34 AM:

" OMG Jesus used to be in school? I graduated HS in 1965 and never saw him one time. "

teacher wrote on Oct 18, 2007 9:53 AM:

" I agree with 80%. Everyone who's jumping on the "bash the teachers" do you even know what NCLB standards look like? Or what constitutes a school to be failing? It's ridiculous. "

WOW wrote on Oct 18, 2007 9:38 AM:

" First, it needs to be looked into as to why they are failing. The teachers, students, government, and parents, all of which play a key role in the education of the kids. Second, perhaps the state or schools should look to schools who are passing whether it be in Illinois or another state and make some changes. Kids have it a lot easier with more access than many parents or grandparents ever had but yet they continuing griping about how bad they have it. I know I had to use my brain and not a computer, calculator or other means. Perhaps it is time to get back to the basics. "

outcome based learning wrote on Oct 18, 2007 9:35 AM:

" Is failing our students. No child left behind is a mess and doesn't really "save" anyone. Add this to my list of reasons why my children will never set foot inside a public school. "

80%! wrote on Oct 18, 2007 9:32 AM:

" Where does "the blame" actually derive this number of 80%? I am a teacher and ALL of our staff are caring, dedicated professionals. How about looking to parents for part of the answers to this problem? How about looking at 30+ kids in a classroom for the answer? Don't be so quick to jump on the "teachers don't care" bandwagon. "

The school my wrote on Oct 18, 2007 9:31 AM:

" child attends is ok but the subjects she has for her age, which is 5th grade is what I used to study in 7th grade. I know myself that she has brought homework home to do and when I try to help her she gets very frustrated and I ask her if the teacher showed them how to do this and she says but only one time and then refused to help them afterwards. This has happened several times. I think that the teachers are 1-over worked 2- over stressed and 3-underpaid so they give what they get. "

Typical BN Resident wrote on Oct 18, 2007 9:05 AM:

" This is happening because they took Jesus out of the schools! "

The blame wrote on Oct 18, 2007 8:26 AM:

" Goes on the teachers. 80% of the teachers don't care and are there just to pick up a check. My grandson attended 4 schools and the last one was a total difference from the first. The difference was in his teachers and how they did their job. "

To Not just schools wrote on Oct 18, 2007 8:20 AM:

" No, it was Kerry that flunked, not Bush. "

Now I see wrote on Oct 18, 2007 7:56 AM:

" Yes, I now see, if you give high standards that cannot be met, then the State can take over the school and get rid of the school board. Say goodbye to 'for the people by the people". "

Not just schools wrote on Oct 18, 2007 7:47 AM:

" Our president fails to meet academic standards, but I don't see him taking any night classes. "

Doug from Florida wrote on Oct 18, 2007 7:01 AM:

" What no comments? 1 out of 4 schools in the state dont meet minimum standards and Illinois expenditures per student are amongst the highest in the country. Lets see who we can blame: Bush, Iraq. State Farm. the Judy Dome, Global Warming, .... Maybe Illinois politicians and citizens should start focusing on why the state's education system is failing. "

Hmmh wrote on Oct 18, 2007 6:42 AM:

" I would like to see the standards which they are failing on. I know at my child's school there is something called Dibbles and if you don't respond with so many answers in so many seconds you fail. If these things are built in the system no wonder some children do not pass. However, if there are the big important things like not being able to speak correct English or read, or write or do math at all now that may be a problem. So which it? I have heard and seen too many children who can't speak correctly or read. How does this happen? Those should be the failing schools not those who don't do 100% instead of 80. As usual I would bet some people are calling the shots who do not have a clue as to what they are doing. "

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