Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/381166
Refl ections on 12 years covering a terrible law It was back in 2002 when my editor approached with a worried look. "A law passed, and I need you to write about it," she said. "Nobody understands it. Ted Kennedy and George Miller wrote it. It's bad." I began reading the newly reauthorized federal Elemen- tary and Secondary Education Act. The 1,100-page law (yes, I counted the pages), dubbed No Child Left Behind, had passed with little fanfare during the short-lived hon- eymoon between Democrats and Republicans following George W. Bush's presidential inauguration. Feature Steven Baez and Kahily Dinwiddie talk about science in the class of Lisa Denmon Mays, Inglewood Teachers Association, who says NCLB replaced fun and creativity with pacing guides. Above: Jaline Garcia solves a math problem in George Zepeda's class. REGINA WILLIAMS was featured in our NCLB coverage donning a Scarlet Letter "R" when her school was reconstituted in March 2008. Through the years our coverage has included: Case in point: Who says this isn't a good school? (9/2004) Punitive law fails to get results — NCLB gets an F (9/2006) Day of the Teacher events spotlight need for major changes in ESEA/NCLB (5/2007) Alum schools make AYP goal, still face reconstitution (3/2008) Should teacher evaluations be based on test scores? (11/2009) Find these and more at www.cta.org/nclb. 10 www.cta.org