A child who comes to school malnourished, from a poor household, having a mother with less than a high school education, or a parent whose primary language is not English is much more likely than a classmate without those factors to have academic and behavioral problems later on.

That means that radically improving children's chances for success requires reaching beyond the education system.  [full text]

But the Bush administration is failing miserably to reach beyond the education system.  And they are perversely holding schools to a standard that they are not holding to themselves!  Compounding the predicament is the fact that "children from low-income families generally attend schools that by any measure--school resources, student achievement, qualified teachers--lag behind those of their more affluent peers."  Thus, the schools themselves are, in effect, left behind.

As one who has known and worked with a great many teachers over the years and who continues to consult with school personnel, I cannot help but empathize with these folks, who are confronted with demands that are almost Kafkaesque in nature.  It is little wonder that they are often overwhelmed and dispirited.  In an op-ed piece in today's New York Times, Tom Moore reflects on how teachers and schools are portrayed in films--such as the recently-released "Freedom Writers"--and how the reality is something else entirely.  He concludes with a plea for common sense expectations:

I don't expect to be thought of as a hero for doing my job. I do expect to be respected, supported, trusted and paid. And while I don't anticipate that Hollywood will stop producing movies about gold-hearted mavericks who play by their own rules and show the suits how to get the job done, I do hope that these movies will be kept in perspective.

While no one believes that hospitals are really like "ER" or that doctors are anything like "House," no one blames doctors for the failure of the health care system. From No Child Left Behind to City Hall, teachers are accused of being incompetent and underqualified, while their appeals for better and safer workplaces are systematically ignored.

Every day teachers are blamed for what the system they're just a part of doesn't provide: safe, adequately staffed schools with the highest expectations for all students. But that's not something one maverick teacher, no matter how idealistic, perky or self-sacrificing, can accomplish.  [full text]

It takes more.  More support for schools.  More support and services for low-income families and communities.  More substance and innovation in public policy.  If this nation truly aspires to better the lives of its youngest and most vulnerable citizens and ensure that no child is left behind, then something more than shallow rhetoric and half-baked mandates must be forthcoming.  More recognition and consideration of the myriad impediments to a child's success would be a good start.  Don't you think, Mr. Bush?