We're from the government and we're here to help you

Oh yes, there is a great deal of consternation about No Child Left Behind.

Many teachers hate it because it relies so much on test scores, and some teachers really don't want to be held accountable for students who may or may not really give a poot about learning.

Then again, some teachers just don't want to be held accountable. Some.

Administrators at the local and state levels hate the one-size-fits-all approach NCLB takes and they are flummoxed by how the feds define Highly Qualified Teachers. Every teacher is supposed to be "Highly Qualified," but even the educrats in D.C. aren't really sure what it means.

I know my dear departed Grandma who taught Kindergarten for 35 years, retired decades before Congress defined what a Highly Qualified Teacher is. But, I assure you, she was dang qualified and she didn't need an educrat to confirm that fact.

So why do we need NCLB? We don't, but states want the money. Well, most states want it...

Arizona, Minnesota and Virginia have talked about "opting out" of NCLB and forgoing the hundreds of millions of dollars each state gets from the federal government. Utah has its finger on that trigger all the time.

People are fed up.

But the irony is that for virtually every state, the funding they get from NCLB is a small fraction of the total education budget - maybe 10 percent, if that, in most cases. For that, the feds get to run the show? Seems a bit out of whack, but that's the gubmint for you.

Congress is looking at re-writing the law. They were supposed to have it done last year, but it won't happen until at least 2009.

There is a better option. Michigan congressman Pete Hoekstra has a bill called "A-Plus." It would get rid of virtually all the federal meddling and give the federal money - your money - back to the states to use for education. That's how it ought to be.

You may or may not want to read about the bill, but it's actually pretty simple; so here it is: http://hoekstra.house.gov/UploadedFiles/A-PLUS%20Summary%20(house%20bill).doc

Everyone has a congressman (or woman) and two senators. Give 'em a call or an email and tell them to support the House version of A-Plus. There's a Senate version, too, but Hoekstra's bill is less intrusive.

Don't know who serves you in Washington? Finding out is simple. For Congressmen go here: www.house.gov. For Senators, head here: www.senate.gov.

I'm not from the government, but I'll still try to help.