- Ryan argues that the incentives created by NCLBA actually work against student achievement in three ways;
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1) incentives for states to lower academic standards;
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2) incentives for schools to push out low performers (poor and minority students), thereby increasing class and race segregation; and
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3) deters teachers from working at challenging schools.
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- NCLB incentives reward affluent schools and punish poor schools. Central problem with NCLB–focuses on absolute achievement measures rather than achievement gains. The goals do not consider past achievement levels of rates of growth.
- Ryan offers a partial solution – a value-added system of accountability would give a more accurate picture of school quality and not generate perverse incentives.