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Why is this impossible to achieve?

Well, the NCLB includes all childen--autistic, Mentally retarded, emotionally disturbed, and ESOL (a child in this country for ONE year, must be measured, regardless of their literacy).

I doubt that a child with a 40 is ever going to "get" algebra. Yet, they are included in the measurement.

"ESOL (a child in this country for ONE year, must be measured, regardless of their literacy)."

One Year???? My brother (ESL teacher) got some kid off a slow boat from China (actally it was a plane and it might not have been China, but the effect is the same) and was told he had to test him. The kid was in the country less than one week.

NCLB is a big joke. I wonder if it is meant to destroy the public school system (ambivalent feelings about that).

I doubt that a child with a 40 is ever going to "get" algebra. Yet, they are included in the measurement.

That is so sad. It's not called "Special Needs" for nothin'. Disabled children deserve special attention, to the point of one-on-one instruction. That's extremely pricy, but if we got rid of the bureaucracy, I'll bet we could afford it. But you'll never be able to include them in a pass/fail measurement and get an accurate result.

The misguided education authorities didn't want to make slower children "feel bad," so they did away with "Special Ed." So now these poor kids really feel isolated because they're expected to keep up in a class that's moving too fast for their abilities. That just stinks!

Some children are "gifted," some are "average," and some need special attention. You're right -- an autistic child isn't going to get Algebra. Why torment them and their classmates for the sake of a measurement. That's just wrong, but I have no idea how to turn that around and get back to Special Ed and Advanced classes.