A recent study conducted by the RAND Corp. has found that teachers in California, Georgia, and Pennsylvania are adapting their teaching methods in response to the No Child Left Behind Act. However, the study also indicates that these changes may not always align with the goals of educators and policymakers. According to the study, a majority of math and science teachers at elementary and middle schools in these states are making positive changes by focusing on their state’s academic standards and seeking better teaching methods. However, a significant percentage of educators are also spending more time teaching test-taking strategies and narrowing their focus on topics covered on state tests. They are also tailoring their teaching to students who are just below the proficiency cutoffs on state tests.
Lead author Laura S. Hamilton, a senior behavioral scientist at RAND, highlights that the study reveals both positive responses and concerns. In addition to this study, the conference organized by RAND also featured four other reports. The study, which began in 2002 with funding from the National Science Foundation, involves surveying teachers, principals, and superintendents in these three states. It also includes more detailed investigations in 18 districts across the states.
The findings show that educators have complex reactions to the No Child Left Behind Act. While staff focus on student learning has improved in all three states, many educators also feel that staff morale has declined. For example, a significant number of teachers reported that the new accountability pressures led to changes in their instruction for math and science. Additionally, teachers were more likely than administrators to identify problems with the testing-and-accountability systems, such as misalignment between state tests and the curriculum.
Although educators agreed that struggling students benefited from the law, many expressed concerns that high-achieving students were not sufficiently challenged. Ms. Hamilton stresses the importance of considering teachers’ opinions when making policy changes.
The study author notes that while California, Georgia, and Pennsylvania were chosen for their diverse demographic representations and different stages of developing standards-based accountability systems, the classroom effects observed in these states were similar. Other reports presented at the conference showed that states and districts across the country were using similar strategies to respond to the federal law. These strategies include data-driven efforts to improve schools and using accountability measures based on student academic growth rather than proficiency targets. Ms. Hamilton suggests that implementing growth-model systems may alleviate the undue focus on "bubble kids" and give teachers more credit for their efforts.
