I'm worried about what No Child Left Behind is doing to students. This week I had to go over test scores for my second grade students. I had to separate them into categories - african american, latino, asian, white, English Language Learner, IEP, and students with free and reduced lunch. This is so I can concentrate on "bubble" students. The ones who are almost making Adequate Yearly Progress. This is so my school can meet it's goal for safe harbor. By the way, the asian student in my classroom doesn't satisfy the category of having enough students in my school to be "counted" in the numbers.

How would a student or a parent feel about not being counted? How do students and parents feel about teachers and schools taking "extra" time to teach and reteach to only students in the middle who will make a difference in a score?

I know how I feel. I want to get back to my real career - caring about each and every student in my classroom and teaching authentic information applicable for life rather then teaching to the test.

Teacher Sullivan
Las Vegas, Nevada