Tensions Between the “Science” of Reading and a “Love of Learning”: One High-Poverty School's Struggle with NCLB

Abstract

This article addresses one of the fundamental flaws of No Child Left Behind (NCLB): the disconnect it creates between the lived culture of schools and the inflexible mandates focused exclusively on scientific research. Specifically, we examined NCLB's Reading First Program, a grant program that focuses on promoting specific “scientifically-based” components of teaching reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension instruction). The data reported in the article is based on a qualitative case study of one high-poverty school in the Northeastern section of the United States. The findings suggest that missing in the story of scientifically-based research and accountability are the roles that context and individual student needs play in the professional role of a teacher in the classroom.