SURVEY: TEACHERS DON'T LIKE 'NO CHILD' LAW

Canan Tasci, Red Lands Daily Facts - Authors of a study by UC Riverside surveyed 740 board-certified teachers in California to assess the effectiveness and unintended consequences of No Child Left Behind.

The study found that 84 percent reported overall unfavorable attitudes about the act.

The bill increased federal funding for education while tying continued support to improvements in individual student scores.

"Many teachers came into the profession because they wanted to make a difference, and they believed they could make a difference if they taught to the whole child," said Rebecca Harper, president of San Bernardino Teachers Association.

"So when No Child Left Behind came in and minimized the amount of time teachers were allowed to spend on character, music and art, it soured them on the profession."

Among the findings:

- 61 percent said the act created an overly narrow conception of education.

- 46 percent felt it diminished creativity.

- 59 percent said it had unintended consequences, primarily less creativity in the classroom and increased influence of textbook companies to determine the content and pace of instruction.

One in four teachers surveyed said the act helped them improve as instructors. One in four also said the act had lowered their commitment and loyalty to the profession, and two in five said it had a negative influence on their own enthusiasm for teaching, the report reads.