Is Public Education Leaving Middle Class Students Behind?

In today's Sunday, Nov. 13th's Washington Post, there was an editiorial, "Class Focus: It's Not Just Poor Students Who Need Attention" on the issue of NCLB and middle class students at TC Williams High School in Alexandria, VA. In recent years, the school district has pushed for more minorities to enroll and take AP courses and exams; however, students are taking courses that are way too difficult for them and as a result these students are not passing the AP exams which cost $83 per exam. TC Williams paid 237 students to take the exams but 177 students failed the exams which equated to $14,691 in lost funds. In the opinion of the author, Patrick Welsh, that money lost was so that students could "experience" taking the AP exams.

Another disturbing item that was mentioned in this article related to the testing conditions. Any scores passing or failing would be viewed, in my opinion, as invalid because the proctors were unable to control some of the rowdy students.

Mr. Welsh states that the reason more students are taking AP courses is that parents are making sure their children are not in "regular classes" with problem students. These regular classes are the inclusion classrooms. The author of this opinion piece states that he finds more students being identified as learning disabled for his classes which gives these students more time on tests and other accomodations - this is done in order to keep up with the gifted students.

This article really hit me where I teach. While I am at a middle school, I see the same scenario but only at a different level. At my school, more and more parents are pushing their children in the accelerated reading and math classes to avoid the inclusion classes of special education students. In five years, the sixth grade math accelerated course has gone from one course being offered to 5 courses being offered. Many of these students are getting C's, D's, and F's and when it is suggested to transfer these struggling students to the "regular" course, teachers are coming up with huge opposition from parents. Until this opinion piece, I could not understand why our math accelerated courses were suddenly filling up - now I know that at least one reason, it is to avoid being placed in classes with learning disabled students. Our middle class families are feeling left behind but how to fix it???