That on balance, the NCLB act has improved academic achievement in the United States

Aside: Do you debate policy? You can answer in the comments. This debate is poorly organized, so I'll just go over the main points in this debate. .. it's important to note that my opponent calling something a "wash" doesn't make it wash. (A wash being when both sides are contradicting no clear decision can be made. ) Rather, the two main points in the round will be addressed, then the specific extra points that are only advocated on the negative. FIRST: GROWTH RATES. - The argument the Pro makes here, is basically that growth rates are higher than they were mid 90's, and as a result NCLB has improved. It is important to observe that this disregards all four studies I give you. Note: 00-03 saw big gains in 4th grade reading and mathematics, and moderate gains in 8th grade reading and mathematics. The turn of the century saw new policies being enacted that facilitated these growth rates. In 02, with the passage of NCLB, these growth rates began to stagnate. The CEP Reports that for 4th grade reading and mathematics, the two largest gainers in 00-03, growth rates plateaued between 03-05. (no data past that point. ) UC Berkeley confirms these findings. Another study by UC Berkeley elaborates into the position of 8th graders, whose reading scores have DECLINED since the inception of NCLB, when they once were growing. Finally, Jaekyung Lee of Harvard concludes that growth rates in all sectors have on the whole declined since pre-NCLB times. None of these studies are addressed at all. Four studies to his. .. what, zero? This point is not a wash, this is clearly won by the negative. SECOND: ALTERNATIVE CURRICULUM (I. E. Science and History) The page he cites shows 8th grade science scores dropping 7 points since NCLB, with 4th grade scores rising 3 points. 7 > 3 Negative wins this point also. (I don't care about the Manhattan quote. Numbers, please? ) ALTERNATIVE POINTS THE NEGATIVE HAS CONCLUSIVELY WON: 1) Narrowing of the Achievement Gap. In my last speech, I give you three different sources which conclude the achievement gap has not been shrunk by NCLB, and in fact the progress being made to shrink that gap is lessened. He calls "wash" in an attempt for me not to bring it back up, but it is necessary in the round. To quote my study by UC Berkeley, "long term data show that the Black-White achievement gap closed from 44 points in 1971 to 26 in 2004, yet no progress has occured since 2002 in closing the achievement gap, mean gains have slowed since 03 and progress in closing ethnic gaps has stalled. " This is on the NAEP, the test we've deemed reliable. This is not a wash, the negative has proven this point as the studies I bring up are completely unaddressed. 2) GPA. I assert that classes are taught to the state tests. He confirms this in his rebuttal speech. This is important, because if classes are taught to the state tests, which he agrees (also in his rebuttal) are being dumbed down, then logically it follows that curriculum is being dumbed down. As a result, we see NO increases in GPA by students. He says GPA is arbitrary, but unless teachers have rapidly inflated the difficulty of their courses (which I just logically showed they have NOT done) then GPA should be increasing. As teachers are dumbing down their courses and yet GPA isn't increasing, it makes sense that NCLB has rather lowered academic achievement. 3) Teacher Quality. Again, you may cross-apply the argument I just gave you about how teachers are dumbing down their curriculum. He doesn't really attack this logic. The only thing he says is "if i've taken the ACT once that doesn't mean I'll perform better the second time", but if you study, then chances are you will. Insofar as once you take a test you know what's on the test, you know how to prep yourself for future tests. Moreover, he disregards the fact that teachers are not going to low performing schools. Thus, you have five voters in this round: 1) GROWTH RATES HAVE STAGNATED SINCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NCLB. CEP, UC Berkeley (x2), and Harvard all confirm this fact, as opposed to his nothing. 2) STUDENTS ARE PERFORMING WORSE ON INTERNATIONAL TESTING. 7 > 3, Con wins. 3) NARROWING OF THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP HAS BEEN STIFLED BY NCLB. UC Berkeley, Harvard and the Fordham Institute all confirm. He declares this point a wash, but truly that's a copout in an attempt for the negative not to extend the point. 4) GPA HAS NOT INCREASED. You can look to the logic I present. Teachers are dumbing down their courses (logically this follows from his own concessions) and yet GPA is not increasing. From that we conclude that NCLB has not taught our students better. 5) TEACHERS ARE DUMBING DOWN COURSES. The logic I give to you thoroughly provides the reasoning behind why teachers are dumbing down their courses, he never really proves that they aren't rather that they are better certified. Certification =/= qualification, as we have seen. Moreover, teachers aren't going to problem areas where they are needed.