NCLB’s demands that schools perform at certain academic levels may have missed the mark when it comes to what many parents value the most, according to a Brigham Young University co-authored study as reported by The Salt Lake Tribune.
The study found that when given a choice, parents in wealthier schools preferred high-satisfaction teachers who would make their children happy, to high-achieving ones who might raise test scores. Conversely, parents at poorer schools preferred high-achieving teachers to high-satisfaction ones.
Parental preferences come down to differences in schools, where poorer schools often face more academic strife than wealthier ones, the study concludes. Study co-author and BYU economics professor Lars Lefgren says the takeaway for policymakers is that NCLB is not a one-size-fits-all solution.