What the No Child Left Behind Law Means for Your Child

"thank you very much for this information. Now, Could you please let me know how i can apply for this program for my son."

"Being in the school system i know first hand how sad this act turned out to be. Though intentions where good, and the grade averages have gone up, looking good to the government 'on paper' this is due to the ' Dumbed down test' The so called stricter testing requirements and penalties they believe to be a direct result to our ' only slightly rising grade averages.' I on the other hand are forced to take those tests not because my school believes its to measure my knowledge or to find out in what spots i need help, but so they can get there so beloved grants. Since the world only turns as we know it because of money and how much we have in our pockets it brought out the WORST in our school system. New younger arrogant money hungry teachers are being taught the bare minimum my thoughts are to save money training them, i know being a teacher isn't the best paying job and i admire the few teachers who do it because they enjoy it but we should put more care in the people we hir! e to teach our kid don't you think, background checks are great but what about the character but there integrity once being put in a working environment with one of my teachers ' I will call this Teacher IT, because i'm childish' I found out jest how little they think of us. IT not only ignored my advise and warnings putting fishing nets we were getting paid to assist by water in danger because even though this was ITS first day on the job i an i grew up doing it IT refused to listen to me because i was a student and it was not my place to be telling him what to do, long aggravating story short IT was the cause of a 29000 dollar loss in the fishing inderesty, my mom being the boss fired him for his negligence . Thinking it was my fault IT and his wife 'bolth is my school system' made my life miserable. Im now in Home schooling and half to say i love it the online teachers are helpful and sadly pay more attention then public teachers. You get to learn at your own pase and t! hey doint depersonalize there students. I truly recommend home! school. The really sad thing is that i respected IT, so i asked my mom to hire him, and against her better judgment she did though no one ever got mad at me i feel that somehow its my fault. Thats only one of my reasons we need to not cut cost ware it counts, instead of a couple of new trees out front for the image of a happy altogether school how about some new books. I truly recommend home school, at least tell the schools and the NCLB act can sort out this pathetic act to lie to our parents. "

"I am appalled by the comments I have read, and I have only read a few. It is important to 'mix' the 'smart kids' with the 'special ed' kids. how do you suppose the special ed kids feel when they are singled out? How else will we work on accepting others for who they are.. we need to be proactive in treating oppressed groups, through inclusion and acceptance, not separation and aggression. Also, if you really 'would have killed someone to start a program' to challenge you, then why didnt you challenge YOURSELF and engage yourself deeper into the materials at hand? I disagree in your blaming of the schools. America is in dire need of educating those who are labeled with having difficulties in schools. Look at the drop-out rates-they are high, look at the rates of those who can't read-they are high. If we focus on those that are smart too much, we will continue to have higher rates in the areas above. I do think there is a type of responsibility to provide students with challenging curiculum, yet, teachers are unaware of students' needs, unless they voice them directly. I suppose you did not, otherwise your teacher would have given you more assignments to 'challenge' you. Step outside of your box for a moment and have compassion."

"When many people think of having 'no child left being,' they focus completely on the kids who are having difficulties in school. I am not arguing that those students should not get the help they deserve; it is very important for them to be taken care of. However, by not creating programs for the kids who do 'get it' or are 'gifted,' they are being left behind. I just graduated and I would have killed for someone to start a program to challenge me. I hardly ever had to try in school, i just got left in the position I was in. No one trying to improve me, challenge me, or teach me. America is killing intellectualism by not also providing help to the students who need to be challenged. Many students in my graduating class were in the same situation as myself. The system needs to start creating programs that aid both sides of the spectrum. No wonder American school systems are so far behind much of the world's...they do not push students to excel, only to be good enough ! to pass. "

"That is not true both my children have been placed on a long wait list so it really is some children wont get left behind. Mind you both children have struggled with math all there life and never received any help!!!!"

"the overview for no child left behind and how do it help the child?"

"they are still puttinq kids out of school & not even carinq abt weather or not they graduate!"

"I kind of hate this too my daughter has been in tons of classes with special eduction kids even though she is smart and does better on her isat then most kids plus its crazy how some schools are more than 8 hours i work for 7 and a half hours and i know how much work is involved also the teacher last year in the 5 grade wanted to retain my daughter in grade 5 maybe because the teacher DID NOT explain things good enough she still was a trainee not a real teacher yet but now in the 6 grade my daughter got her first report card and all A,s were on it"

"ok number one the country is already bankrupt so to say that his one law will make the country go bankrupt is redundant. and if the teachers can't handle the stress of having to put a little more effort into thinking of ways to help their students (which is their job by the way) then they need to be replaced. hence the teacher replacement clause in the act. the act is a good thing and a flawed thing. just like everything to government does. maybe if you all stopped complainig for once and got off your butt and helped your child succeed at home as well as at school no kids would be left behind and this wouldnt be a problem. "

"i think this law should be expanded... i dont think that if you live in one school district that you shouldnt be denied the oppuratunity to go to another school, if you were at that school the previous year."

"I am totally dumb founded at all the comments i have read. I am a mother of an autistic child. As like many things in life there are pros and cons to each situation. With that being said i fault everyone but the children.( They rely on us parents,teachers,counselors,etc... for GUIDANCE they are in the learning phase of life) I have fought for my child to to have every oppertunity that a NORMAL child has and i don't like the word Normal.( What really is normal) You think it is so easy for disabled children well your wrong. My son has been put with teachers that have NO education under their belts for a special needs children. All i ever hear is about the normal kids well when i have approached the school board with solutions they find ways to avoid them so it will work and my solutions are not just for my son but the classroom as a whole so that noone suffers. My son stems and also has adhd and i have asked forever for an aid to keep him redirected, and to make it easier for! everyone. Ha ha ha, that is a no... You see if he had an aid the teacher wouldn't have to stop to help him and redirect him, but seeing as the teaacher does have to do this you have children sitting there waiting and loosing out curriculmn falls behind and they have no clue there could be a kid with comprehension problems and now they are lost cause the teacher had to stop. This is just one small example. The sat;s are all that are taught and it is all money based issues!!! When i saw in the coments below that teachers are not allowed to teach this is so very true, i remember when i went to school and were taught today it is only about what is on the sat test that is taught nothing more nothing less.My son is very smart and does very well he amazes his teachers he only has a few quirks and overall does well the NCLB has helped in many ways and hurt in many ways, it can be improved but for that to happen they need to listen to parents. You have a bunch of old people sitting! up there they have not had to deal with any of the issues at ! hand personally and they just vote not knowing all the facts. I will fight i am sure till my son graduates and will do so proudly for him and do what ever takes to make things possible for him as well as the other students around him. Everyone needs to be educated. I have had teachers that are terrible and i have had teachers that are totally amazing, the ones that are amazing are the ones that care about teaching the ones that were terrible are there just for a paycheck. So where i sit from i blame the parents too that dont fight for the kids and stay on top of things, i feel for the parents that fight cause the battles are exhausting long and drawn out, and when the schools say parents get involved don't make me laugh cause when you do then they avoid you for you to do so, example the lady that wrote the school told her to get her son his GED wow what kind of support system is that... and the Govt well that goes without saying no need to elaborate on them. I make sure eve! ry year that i revamp the studies from the school year when school lets out and prepare for the upcoming things to be taught and this really helps, i do this all by myself i have learned to be creative to make things be the best that they can be. I will not stand by and have people knock my son for getting what he needs cause he is disabled, he has just as much right as the next person to be there to learn and to adapt as the next child disabled or not. "

"Hi, I have worked for a title 1 school in Florida for the past five years. Most of the children retained, in my view, have nothing more wrong with them then being 'curriculum impaired'. It is very sad to see our youth viewing themselves as failures before the age of 10. I am not afraid of speaking out or losing my job for doing so. I know in my heart that we are doing our children a lifelong terrible disservice by not protesting NCLB. I read recently about the television program titled 'Jehrico'. sp? At any rate, its producers decided to cancel the show due to lack of ratings. Proponents of the program joined together and protested. Apparently there was a character on the program who always said 'nuts'. So, this group decided to bombard the producers with bags of nuts as a protest. The producers in turn returned the show to the air for more episodes. There is no reason we as parents and teachers can not follow their lead. What would you think of doing something like: Dear NCLB legislators, No child left behind? I have been left behind ____ times! Post a picture of your child (not smiling) in/or on the letter, frame it (so it will take up lots of room!) and mail it to: US Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave, SW Washington, DC 20202 "

"I am doing a research project for my English II class and I'm trying to find ways that the community, parents, and teachers can help out with the No Child Left Behind Act. Any suggestions?"

" Wow! I am a parent as well as a teacher and cannot believe the amount of excuses coming from parents about their children. One parent is blaming all of her daughters teachers for the lack of accountablity that was taught to her daughter. Now that her 21 year old cannot hold down a job it must be the teachers fault. Are you kidding me?! Sorry mom, that one falls on you!!! Sounds like you have been making excuses for your daughter the majority of her life. Other parents on here want to believe that all teachers just pass through students and really do not teach at all. The government is the one you want to place blame on. They have taken away our right to teach, with classroom sizes of 35 it is no longer teaching it is babysitting. It is impossible to use the NCLB standards in a classroom with 35 individuals whos needs very considerably. Now the government tells us what we have to teach and how to do it. The idea behind NCLB was great; however, poorly written and n! ot financially backed by the government has made more problems for schools, teachers, and more importantly your children. "

"COPY AND PASTA IF YOU AGREE! 'I HAVE READ 'THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND LAW,' TO BE HONEST WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT IT I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE GREAT AND KIDS WOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO HAVE A BETTER FUTURE, BUT NOW THAT I HAVE A SON WHO HAS TROUBLE LEARNING AND I SEE THAT THE SCHOOL IS DOING NOTHING FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS, I ASK MYSELF, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE F THIS CHILD NO LEFT BEHIND ACT? MY SON IS 7 AND FOR A LONG TIME I HAVE KNOWN HE NEEDS HELP LEARNING AND UNDERSTANDING THE MATERIAL TAUGHT IN SCHOOL. BUT THE TEACHERS ARE NOT LISTENING AND THEY FEEL MY SON BEING RETAINED WILL HELP. NO ONE KNOWS A CHILD LIKE THE PARENTS DO, MY SON WONT DO HIS HOMEWORK BECAUSE HE DOESNT UNDERSTAND IT, HIS SISTERS AND I TRY TO EXPLAIN AND HE GETS FRUSTRATED, WHEN I TELL HIS TEACHER THIS SHE DECIDED TO GIVE HIM EASIER HOMEWORK SO THAT SHE DOESNT HAVE TO SPEND ANYTIME WITH HIM BECAUSE SHE HAS OTHER STUDENTS. I DONT THINK THIS IS RIGHT BECAUSE NOW MY SON HAS TO REPEAT THE FIRST GRADE, SINCE KINDERGARTEN IVE BEEN TELLING THE TEAC! H! ERS MY SON IS DIFFERENT. NO ONE WILL LISTEN. I WANT MY SON TO HAVE A FUTURE TOO, I DONT WANT HIM TO NOT CARE WHEN HES OLDER BECAUSE NO ONE CARES NOW. WHAT KIND OF LAW IS THIS WHEN MY CHILD IS SUFFERING? I ASK MYSELF HOW MANY MORE KIDS ARE OUT THERE GOING THRU THIS AND PARENTS DONT SPEAK OUT. I HONESTLY NEED HELP FOR MY SON, PLEASE, TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO DO...'"

"I HAVE READ 'THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND LAW,' TO BE HONEST WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT IT I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE GREAT AND KIDS WOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO HAVE A BETTER FUTURE, BUT NOW THAT I HAVE A SON WHO HAS TROUBLE LEARNING AND I SEE THAT THE SCHOOL IS DOING NOTHING FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS, I ASK MYSELF, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE F THIS CHILD NO LEFT BEHIND ACT? MY SON IS 7 AND FOR A LONG TIME I HAVE KNOWN HE NEEDS HELP LEARNING AND UNDERSTANDING THE MATERIAL TAUGHT IN SCHOOL. BUT THE TEACHERS ARE NOT LISTENING AND THEY FEEL MY SON BEING RETAINED WILL HELP. NO ONE KNOWS A CHILD LIKE THE PARENTS DO, MY SON WONT DO HIS HOMEWORK BECAUSE HE DOESNT UNDERSTAND IT, HIS SISTERS AND I TRY TO EXPLAIN AND HE GETS FRUSTRATED, WHEN I TELL HIS TEACHER THIS SHE DECIDED TO GIVE HIM EASIER HOMEWORK SO THAT SHE DOESNT HAVE TO SPEND ANYTIME WITH HIM BECAUSE SHE HAS OTHER STUDENTS. I DONT THINK THIS IS RIGHT BECAUSE NOW MY SON HAS TO REPEAT THE FIRST GRADE, SINCE KINDERGARTEN IVE BEEN TELLING THE TEAC! HERS MY SON IS DIFFERENT. NO ONE WILL LISTEN. I WANT MY SON TO HAVE A FUTURE TOO, I DONT WANT HIM TO NOT CARE WHEN HES OLDER BECAUSE NO ONE CARES NOW. WHAT KIND OF LAW IS THIS WHEN MY CHILD IS SUFFERING? I ASK MYSELF HOW MANY MORE KIDS ARE OUT THERE GOING THRU THIS AND PARENTS DONT SPEAK OUT. I HONESTLY NEED HELP FOR MY SON, PLEASE, TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO DO..."

"No Child Left Behind may help the stragglers of the groups, but it's holding the leaders back. They start focusing on the slowest people, and they may benefit, but the rest of us students suffer. Many of the people who are affected by NCLB don't want to learn, and the teachers focus on teaching them instead of teaching those of us who actually want and enjoy learning. I have also noticed that the teachers at my school have been under so much pressure of not letting a few specific kids fall through the cracks, that they don't worry about everyone learning what they're supposed to. I was talking to the EY (Excellence in Youth, or GT to some) coordinator and she said that even though everyone has different learning styles, it's the teachers job to find the one that suits each student the best. Of course, this does mean the students need to communicate effectively how they need help, but most students don't realize this and just keep going. The teacher never even asks. They're to busy giving specific instructions to Johnny in the corner while you sit here struggling to follow what the heck she's even saying. I may have rambled or basically reiterated myself several times, and I'm sorry for that, but I'm sick and tired of hearing, 'We just don't care about EY kids.'"

"I have personally been involved with the 'No child left behind' program with my step daughter. I (and many of my friends that are teachers call it the 'Get them out of here program'. The program will keep lowering the standards until your child can meet them. They do things like go over a work sheet in class having the kids fill in the answers as the teachers give them, and then give them the exact same sheet as a test to take home to take and bring back the next day. Of course these kids are smart enough to just copy from one sheet to the other. I was actually told that even though she didn't do her homework that as long as she came to class prepared (with pencil and paper) that they had to give her an A for the day for trying. It is supposed to be positive reinforcement. She is now 21 years old. She can't hold a job because she can't understand why she has to do what she was hired for instead of just getting a reward for showing up. I tried to voice my concern to the schoo! l but was told that they have to pass the kids or there parents threaten to sue them. I don't understand it. How about the school starts suing the parents when there kids aren't passing. If you think about it.....If they do all there homework and listen in class and still fail all the test they will still get at least a passing grade. Not a good one but at least passing. Maybe if you start holding the parents responsible for there kids not doing there homework or behaving and listening in class then maybe you won't need to have a 'No child left behind' program. Maybe you could have a 'Take responsibility for what your child becomes' program."

"in reading this article i feel that the school my son attended did not follow the rule where they did not report the teacher stress levels because on a daily basis i would hear teachers yelling at the students and to my understanding once you yell at a kid they kind of tune you out so therefore nothing is being accomplished because it was everyday and also they were more focused on celebrating holidays with parties and such to academics for example i do not celebrate oct31 so i was told to keep my son home because they were going to have the party and even though it was one day imagine just one student from each district missing school because a party for a day that has no academic or historical significance was going to be held. a waste of time and money so that is just a couple of incidents where i see that does hurt all the way around. i was not surprised when i found out that this school is one of those schools that is failing."

"What I don't understand is why students aren't grouped according to how much they know. My daughter is in first grade and is very intelligent with a higher reading and math level. She is stuck in class with some students who are way behind and one student who is still learning English. There are also a few who have behavior problems. These kids hold up the whole class. Her teacher can't progress since half of the students take longer to understand what is being taught. It makes school very boring for half of the class. When I was in school we were put into class according to how we interpreted information and how advanced we are. I feel this way leaves alot of children behind and it isn't fair to any of the students. I can understand how you wouldn't want an underperforming child's self esteem to be hurt by being placed in a lesser class, however isn't their self esteem hurt worse when they are in class with others who are more advanced and understand things much quicker tha! n they do. Another problem is lack of parental involvement. The students in class actually had to sign an agreement to do their homework every day since only a handful of students in class do. These kids are 6. I feel it's a parent's responsibility to ensure their kids are doing their work. My daughter's homework is always completed, even when she is absent and we also find time to teach her at home. When we cook we explain fractions. When we are out we read signs. I explain news events to her and point out landmarks. We discuss different people and the places they come from. We challenge her to add and subtract larger numbers and talk about how plants grow when spring arrives. Parents need to get off their cell phones and engage their children more. Play a game with your kids, teach them about money at the grocery store, point out fractions on a pizza pie or shapes on signs. We need to guide our children's thought processes and not rely on school to teach them everything. This has to ! be the laziest generation of parents ever and it's hurting our children and their future. "

"my 8th grader came home from school last week and said that she has teachers who still put desks in a circle and have kids read out loud. And it takes some kids a very long time to read a simple paragraph. If their is a word they can not pronounce they are told to'sound it out'. This is elementary school teaching...not the year before high school. In the meantime all the rest of the students are forced to waste their time just sitting and waiting on students that never should have been 'shoved through' the school system. The 'no child' act is a complete farce. "

"I understand that the we need to help Left Behind kid, but just putting them to the better district school is not enough. Home education is very important, did their parents follow up with their homework, did their parents care? My two girls are gifted and we are in the best school district. I see there are a lot of Left Behind kid transferred to our school, using a lot of our tax money. My kids and those are purposed at this school district that did not get the benefit of it. Poway does not have that program, therefore, they have the better education score."

"NCLB certainly had a huge impact on my family. My daughter was threatened by a young juvenile delinquent with a rap sheet several pages long... for supposedly suggesting that a friend 'break-up' with him when they were only 11 years old. The boy actually brought a knife to school and admitted that he intended to stab my daughter and 3 of her friends with it. The school could not expel him, or even suspend him for long because he was 'diagnosed' with 'conduct disorder'. The school did not have the resources to prevent him and his friends from approaching and harassing my daughter. Eventually I had to involve my lawyer and have my daughter transferred to another school. Now we have to drive a considerable distance to drop her off and pick her up every school day. What if we were unable to provide her that transportation (not that it hasnt impacted our family financially, because it has.) Is this fair and/or reasonable? Children who are dangerous require more specialized attention and resources than are available even in the best, 'blue ribbon' public schools. They should not be allowed to compromise the safety of the rest of the student population."

"I do not like it. If the child is not ready why push them so other countries can see how stupid our country is? Maybe the schools should have a special ed class where the child is taken out of the class for help instead of in the back of a class while a teacher is teaching one thing and the other is teachign something else. let the child stay back and re learn what ever it is"

"No child left behind means that our children along with many others have to wait for the slow learners to catch up. Therefore, we are dragging our school systems down instead of building them up. No child left behind sounds good if you are running for office, if you are paying the bills at the Schools as taxpayers, it has it faults."

"The NCLB law was legislated as a political ploy by both political parties in the U.S. This law is the biggest blunder to the public school system in this country and will eventually bankrupt the entire system, as local school boards get into the lives' and homes of its' students and their families. Do the math. It is not difficult to understand why this law does not work and why it is detrimental to students nationwide. Standards have been lowered to keep African-Americans in the same ballpark as whites, not to mention Hispanics and their lack of academic skills. Here is a fact: African-American students, generally speaking, do not do homework, do not ask for extra help, do not stay after school seeking help from their teachers and overall have a disdain for school and related activities. It is also true, generally speaking, that African-Americans do not have a home support system. However, this is where many believe it is the Public School System's responsibility and duty t! o fix all the social ills that plague our society. We have numerous specialists in our school system, beginning with academic teachers, speech pathologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, occupational therapists, special ed teachers, teachers assistants, massage therapists for one child who has cerebral palsy and is wheelchair bound and physical ed specialists to integrate this one child into mainstream physical activities, requested by his family and met by the school board without question or cost to the taxpayers. You may believe the NCLB legislation is a blueprint for the future of education in the United States but all it has accomplished, thus far, is to lower standards, expectations, given a false sense of security and achievement to students, who cannot write a complete sentence, subtract two digit numbers, jog around a gymnasium for 2-3 minutes, accept responsibility for their actions, take criticism from their teachers, constructive or otherwise and are generally v! ery disrespectful to teachers and adults alike. I believe the ! NCLB law must be rethought and rewritten. It does not work. Many thanks, Craig Michaels "

"What about the children who fall through the crack's because of test scores fall in the grey area? My son was evaluated by a psychologist, his test scores were in the middle (grey area)! This means some of his scores were a couple of points over the low end, and some of the scores were just barely to the high end. Therefore he does not qualify for special education classes, the teacher's are continuing different intervention's to help him, but now he is in 7th grade, has 1 or 2 kids he talks to, he is unable to speak in front of the class for speaches. Sure they have a 504 plan in progress which is helping to some degree, but how is he ever going to over come participating with his peers? He has been diagnosed with Inattentive ADD, Depression, Non Verbal Disorder. I have been told by his Principal and Counselor that because of his test score's falling into the 'GRAY' area, my son is not eligble for Special Education Services! I'm hoping that when you read this you will be able to direct me into the right direction to get my son the proper help he needs to excell. Thank You Tammy"

"they want each kid in the US to be on the same page when it comes to education but when everyone has diffrent learning styles...how does that work? so teachers need to FOCUS ON THE KIDS WHO DON'T GET IT SO THERE NOT LEFT BEHIND...so you ask what happends to the kids that do? Have them HELP THE OTHER KIDS THAT DON'T GET IT. teachers have to rush through stuff to get what is required done and if your spending a week on a chapter and then having to take a test over it....your not going to really learn it as well as if you took like 2 weeks right so the kids that need more time are getting rushed through it and if they dont get it to bad they have to move on to meet dead lines so really thoese kids are getting left behind which is not helping the no child left behind law ill use myself as an example, im not the type of person who picks up on stuff quickly. i have to have more time on something before i learn it and understand it. so when i get rushed through something im not learning anything and then my grades suffer cause idk what is going on - even if i go in for help on past chapters. so when the semester test comes i dont' do really well. therefore the teachers are not doing what they can to help us kids learn it so that we can get better scores also and in tearms 'leaving me begind'. Teachers should be focused on helping us kids get it so that we know what were doing because the ones who dont understand it arel eft behind to suffer while everyone moves on. but of coures the goverment doesn't focus on those kids- they focues on the ones who are doing better- but really thoese kids probley just picked up on it faster "

"My children are in college and they are dong fine. One is in medical school and one wants to attend law school. I’m a Registered Dental Hygienist and have been for fourteen years. I have an associate’s degree. I also have over 102 college credit hours. I have been teaching (volunteering) in many schools about proper oral care, nutrition, dentition and the dangers of smoking for many years. I enjoyed teaching and I have taught many children at ages 5, 6 and 7 how to read, including my own. I have even taught people over the age of 40 to read. I would like to put both of my skills together and help SC schools and their teachers. Perhaps tutor children who are falling behind in their reading, and when I’m not doing that I could teach classes about good dental care. I have always taught in a way that was fun for students. I have many thanks you letters from children I have taught, and I will always treasure them. I'm a single mother of 2 but I really don’t need to worr! y about my daughters now. They are fairly self sufficient. I can travel around where I’m needed in SC. I know there is a huge need for teachers. I live in Dorchester County and I know a few schools have closed. The school budgets are tight. If there is a way that a full time position could be made for me within the school district I would greatly appreciate it. It essentially is putting two jobs together, but having to pay one person. The dental programs have been cut back as well and the need for preventative oral health care is more important now than ever. I have much to offer. It's the best feeling to be able to teach children. At night I know I have helped our kids be more informed more self sufficient people. Who can I talk about my concerns and ideas, and if my experience and knowledge would help some of the schools in SC? The school nurses have their hands full from what I hear. Now the teachers don’t have time to teach preventative oral health care in thei! r classes. I have worked in clinics where 8-16 year olds did n! ot own a tooth brush and lacked knowledge of why it’s important to do their own homecare. I have never dealt with the state or government so this is all new to me. I have something to offer and I know SC schools need it. We are now under a new administration with President Obama, but I’m still under the assumption that people have to pull together and rely on each other instead of waiting for the economy to magically recover. It will recover much more quickly if we rely on each other in our own state. Our children need help now. Thanks for your time. Sarah "

"What about children in the hospital for a 6month period of time. Don't the school districts need to provide homework for these kids to keep up with ther studies?"