Is 'No Child' causing train wreck in LPOSD

Could it be No Child Let Behind is causing a train wreck in the Lake Pend Oreille school system?

When President Bush signed NCLB into law in 2002, Congress lined up behind him because it was obvious American school children were slipping in the world’s standings when it came to the “Three Rs.”

Our first MBA president may have had good intentions by measuring the success and struggles of students while using a big stick on schools that didn’t show improvements in students’ tests.

Unfortunately, NCLB has left a residue that has chased away any chance for a balanced education and has forced teachers and principals to spend an inordinate amount of time teaching to a very important test.

While educators are doing their best to find some balance, private schools have filled a niche for parents who are alarmed with NCLB and public schooling in general.

The problems facing our school district are these:

? Our public school system is at an unfair advantage compared to private schools because NCLB doesn’t exist in those schools.

? Because of a flight of students to private schools, the district’s student enrollment is nearly as low as it was in 1999 and is still shrinking.

? The voters will be asked in March to pass a $14.1 million plant facilities levy. Of the total, $5.1 million will go to address health and safety concerns including replacing roofs, upgrading fire alarm systems and replacing unsafe gym bleachers. The rest of the money goes to building classrooms at Sagle and completing a school in Kootenai.

It will take a great push for this levy to pass.

One observation: Isn’t it ironic that the Bush administration has pushed so hard for school vouchers and grants for parents who want to pull their kids from the public schools when the NCLB is already doing that for parents who can afford the jump?

Here’s your train wreck: Bonner County students in public schools deserve at the minimum a safe place to study. Because there are fewer students, doesn’t mean the cost of keeping the schools up drops.

What’s a voter to do?

David Keyes is publisher

of the Daily Bee.