Child's Play
It is mind-numbing to believe the widespread negative ramifications caused by a simple legislative act. The public school system in the United States(US) has been reeling since 2001, when President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act(NCLB) into effect. I believe the act to be counterproductive because a premium has been placed on standardized testing, upon which the results determine a school's budget. NCLB has reeked havoc on teachers' curriculum by monopolizing the priority list and jeopardizing time slots normally devoted to lesser activities, such as physical education. These types of time budget manipulations are all but forced compensations in order to adequately prepare for test taking. Most importantly NCLB has exposed the American public, and its symbiotic public school system! Why exactly are students unprepared for standardized tests? From my experience, the cycle begins with the students and the parents, not the teachers, nor the standardized tests. Unfortunately too many Americans live in a bubble. In 2010, the United States ranked 48th out 133 developed nations in math and science standardized testing. Unfortunately, the situation will have to get much worse in order for it to improve. Multiple social factors actively contribute to the continual renewing of this disingenuous and distorted reality. Fixing the situation will not be as easy as child's play!