Critical Issues facing the schools

If you received our December newsletter, you know we want to hear from you about what issues are facing the public schools. Here are some replies we've gotten thus far to our survey:

From a parent and teacher:
1) Is NCLB (No Child Left Behind) helping the schools or is it just an unfunded mandate?
2) Increasing teacher pull-out from classroom for pointless meetings which accomplish little and disrupt kids a lot.
3) Challenging all students.

Also, from a parent/teacher:
1) More challenging curriculum to advance and accelerate the top students; more homogeneus grouping to achieve such. Differentiation is not cutting it and is not being done, although it is much talked of.
2) Discipline issues - so as not to slow down the rest of the class.
3) Why doesn't Lowell provide a 'gifted' program?

And an email response from a parent:

My opinion of the critical public education issues:

1. Ample time should be given in the day to properly eat lunch and have recess. This is not the case in my children's school. I would even add time to the school day in order to see them given the basic human right of eating properly and having a break. This would also diminish some disipline issues I believe.

2. I would like to see better commitment to F.A.P.E. (free and appropriate public education act). Currently my special needs child is not receiving some services needed as part of his I.E.P. (individual education plan), because of a vacancy in those positions. Alternatively, I have another child in the same school who is advanced and has no access to an advanced program.

3. Parental involvement is also key.

Thank you for these submissions. Let's keep this conversation going!