For more than 40 years, the research has shown that the single biggest factor in student success, high school graduation­, and college success and graduation is family income. Not great teachers, a new school, a principal as a strong leader. Family income. Any set of programs that are set up but do not attempt to level the playing field with increased funding for K-16 education, especially for those who are of lower income — and not just the shrinking middle class — has no chance of long-term success. Period.

I hope that all 50 states and DC will eventually be able to opt out of NCLB. It has turned K-12 public education into a grand teaching-f­or-the-tes­t scheme. Making billions of dollars for test developmen­t companies and for related test-prep service providers. And still, after a decade, we fall behind. It may well be better for my son to attend school in Syria right now than here in the US. I haven’t given up, but things are fairly bleak in terms of the achievemen­t gap these days.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost