The Broken System

Until I married a school teacher, I never realized how messed-up our accountability priorities are in our public education system. I think George W. Bush was on the right track with the "No Child Left Behind" initiative a few years ago, but that train didn't go far enough. Educators and administrators are held accountable for how their students perform on standardized tests. That is not bad. But there are so many things that are wrong with just stopping there.
First, this system puts too much priority on a child being able to pass one test. Teachers will spend most of a school year teaching a child what he or she needs to know just to pass a test. Most teachers, including my wife, will tell you that's not true education.
Second, the accountability in this system is one-sided. Teachers and administrators are held accountable, but what about the students? What about the parents? I've seen my wife put in 12-16 hour workdays trying to get students ready to take the test. She has stayed after school to tutor kids, at times with no extra pay. She does it because she is dedicated and also her butt is on the line if the students don't do well (yes, I am biased here). It drives me up the wall to see her do all of that on her end, but to get little or no commitment from the student. Of course, most of the time when the student is apathetic or rebellious like that, it goes back to his or her home life. Few times does my wife get any help or support from the parents/guardian of these kids. Many times she has called and been unable to reach them. Many times she has set-up conferences to meet with them only for the parent/guardian to be a no-show. She has even gone out of her way to try to go to them at times.
She does all this and if the students don't do well on the test, she is the one who could get into trouble.
Where is the accountability for the students and the parents? How come in our education system, we keep passing students on through and eventually hand them a piece of paper at the end of 12 years (or longer) telling them they've satisfactorily met the requirements when they actually have not?
Third, my wife teaches 4th grade at a Title I school. Most of her students entered 4th grade on a 1st grade reading level, if even that good. They had no business being in 4th grade or 3rd or 2nd, but she is required to get them ready to pass a 4th grade test!
Here's a proposal. Yes, let's have accountability, but let's make it all around. Teachers must do all they can to educate their students. Okay, a test should be taken just to see where a child is, but let's not place such a do-or-die emphasis on it. If the student doesn't show a certain level of commitment, then he or she can be in the public education system for only so long before being required to enter the work force. If a parent/guardian doesn't show a certain level of commitment, then he or she will be required to pay for the child to continue in education or else go to jail.
Oh, and while I'm changing the system, here's another idea. Let's raise teacher pay. For the amount of hours and grief they have to put in, they deserve about double what they make now.
Those are just a few ideas. I have more, but I will save them for another time.