Las Vegas NowNo Child Left Behind Act Criticized Locally
Miriam Quintana is a bilingual teacher at Herron, and understands what the students go through.
Jesus Murrieta, 4th grader, tells reporter Chris Saldaña, "When we go somewhere and they don't know how to talk in English, I help them learn English, too."The No Child Left Behind Act became a federal law four years ago but many states and educators say, the program is not working and it's unfair.
The law was created to improve test scores for every student in public schools. If schools don't meet federal standards, they are put on a "needs improvement" list. The annual No Child Left Behind report will be released this week and one local school may not make the grade for a fourth year.
Students at Fay Herron elementary are gone for the day. The majority of students are Spanish speakers, and taught in bilingual settings. But when it comes to test taking, it's all in English.
Herron teachers say that works against they way their students learn. Jesus Murrieta and Mario Escobedo do more than just learn at school. They are also teachers for their parents who don't speak English.
"When we go somewhere and they don't know how to talk in English, I help them learn English too," said Jesus Murrieta, 4th grader.
Coming from Spanish speaking homes, has made learning and test taking a challenge.
"It was hard to take tests because I didn't know English and I couldn't read the stories about math and all that stuff," Jesus Murrieta said.
Jesus and Mario remember how they felt when they took their first test without any help in Spanish.
"Sad, I felt as if I could do nothing. Because I didn't know how to read it, and write it," said Mario Escobedo, 4th grader.
Miriam Quintana is a bilingual teacher at Herron, and understands what the students go through. She was often put in the corner growing up because she didn't understand English, but understood the academic skills.
She says more than half the time, the testing system, works against the students.
"It's cruel, very cruel for the students because they know their material, however they know it in their first language. And it's so unfair to not all allow them to take these tests in their first language," said Quintana.
Both Jesus and Mario have learned English since first starting at Herron. But there are hundreds of others who can't pass the standardized tests, because of the language barrier.
Send feedback to reporter Chris Saldaña at csaldana@klastv.com
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