NCLB Causes Head Lice

I'm not even kidding. The article($) is in today's Wall Street Journal:

Education-reform mandates like the No Child Left Behind law are putting a contentious new spin on a classroom issue that makes parents' skin crawl: head lice. Schools used to take a hard line on the sesame-seed-sized parasites, which suck human blood and glue their eggs to individual hairs. At the first sign of an outbreak, pupils got scalp checks. Those with lice were immediately banished from the classroom until all lice and eggs -- known as nits -- were gone.

But to the dismay of many parents, these "no nits" policies are disappearing as school districts face state and federal pressure to reduce absenteeism and boost academic achievement. No Child requires that 95% of students be present for mandatory achievement tests. It also allows states to use attendance to help determine whether school districts are making adequate educational progress under the federal law. Those that don't do so face sanctions that could include state takeovers of their schools.

This is the first NCLB critique I've seen that's both nit-picking and about nit-picking at the same time.

Seriously, there's a certain not-grown-up quality to stories like this. The Washington Post ran basically the same article this morning, except the focus there was how NCLB is causing schools to get rid of recess. It's only a matter of time before the New York Times goes above the fold with an expose of how schools are supposedly abolishing restrooms, school lunches, and the Pledge of Allegiance to free up class time for test prep.

NCLB holds schools accountable for the most important things--reading, math, coming to school. Inevitably, that means conflicts and tradeoffs with other important things--social studies, recess, personal hygiene. That's worth noting, and worrying about. But that's also life--conflicting priorities, difficult tradeoffs, limited resources.

Too much of the reaction to these conflicts is along the lines of "Therefore, NCLB is bad idea." As opposed to "Let's work hard to reconcile these competing but important priorities and come to the best solution for students."