Field Expert Interview-Solomon
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Valdosta State University *
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701
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Jan 9, 2024
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docx
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FIELD EXPERT INTERVIEW
1
Field Expert Interview
Horace L. Solomon, III
School of Education, Liberty University
Author Note
Name
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Horace L. Solomon, III
Email: hlsolomon1@liberty.edu
FIELD EXPERT INTERVIEW
2
Field Expert Interview
The interview for this assignment was conducted with Dr. Sherry Pough, Exceptional
Student Education (ESE) Assistant Principal at New Smyrna Beach Middle School in New
Smyrna Beach, Florida. Dr. Pough has over twenty years of experience in education, having
worked in both Texas and Florida. Dr. Pough has worked at every level during her career after
spending some time in the Business world. Dr. Pough’s business acumen, coupled with her
education work experience, makes her an expert in the topic. Over the years, she has worked on
several committees that worked on the Curriculum and Planning for Volusia County Schools as
well as the School Improvement Plan Committee, designed to help the schools “make the grade.”
Transcript
Question 1:
No Child Left Behind was passed in 2002 to help hold
school districts and States accountable for student achievement.
What experience do you have with NCLB?
Answer:
During the passing of this legislation, I was a new teacher working in Texas. The
premise of the legislation from my understanding was to ensure that all students were tested at
the 3
rd
and 8
th
grade level and again at graduation with the goal of all students being proficient in
reading and math by the time they graduated from high school.
Question 2:
How did NCLB change the nature of education in America?
FIELD EXPERT INTERVIEW
3
Answer:
It made schools/school district accountable to trying to close the achievement gap
between minority students and non-minority students and those students with learning
disabilities.
Question 3:
. What do you think the main focus of NCLB was?
Answer:
The main focus was to hold school accountable for all students being proficient at the
time of their graduation, but in my opinion because funding was tied to performance, school
districts started what many called “teaching to the test.”
Question 4:
Do you believe that NCLB encourages educators to use best practices? Explain
your response.
Answer:
No. Because it was tied to funding, educators used the practices that would help their
students pass the test. It didn’t matter if the students did not learn the concepts, as long as they
performed on the state assessment many educators were okay with this.
Question 5:
During your time as an educator, what are some areas that you feel need to be
addressed when it comes to achievement gaps?
Answer:
The biggest area that needs to be addressed when it comes to closing the achievement
gap is exposure! Minority students need to be exposed to higher level coursework, i.e.., honors
and AP classes. Additionally, they need access to the gifted curriculum. Predominantly minority
schools should highly qualified teachers in front of them and not always beginning teachers or
substitute teachers.
Question 6:
NCLB relied on standardized tests to measure student achievement. Express
your thoughts about standardized testing.
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FIELD EXPERT INTERVIEW
4
Answer:
Standardized testing is useful to assess student learning, but it should not be the sole
tool that measures learning. Many felt that’s what NCLB promoted thus creating the term
“teaching to the test.”
It was not a true indicator of student proficiency, but rather their ability to
pass a test.
Question 7:
NCLB used test scores to determine Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for
schools during its use. Do you believe that the formulas used to determine AYP were fair
across the board? Explain.
Answer:
No. It was not fair because many minority schools/students were starting at a major
deficit as compared to other schools with small minority populations.
Question 8:
Why do you feel that achievement gaps exist between students?
Answer:
I feel that the achievement gap exists between students due to lack of exposure to
accelerated curriculum, lack of opportunities provided at many minority schools, lack of certified
teachers at minority schools and lack of minority students being a part of the gifted program in
public schools.
Question 9:
What factors have the most influence on the students?
Answer:
The factor that has the most influence on the students in my professional opinion would
be having highly qualified teachers in front of them. In addition to having certified/qualified
teachers, it is important that teachers have self-efficacy in themselves and the students they
teach. If teachers don’t believe the students can learn, then what they put out to them will be
FIELD EXPERT INTERVIEW
5
based on that thought or assumption that they can’t learn or can’t learn at a level beyond the
general/standard curriculum.
Question 10:
What strategies do you feel are best used to close achievement gaps?
Answer:
The strategies that are best used to close the achievement gap is to meet students where
they are academically and teach up! Do not allow them to say I can’t do this. Teach them that
they can. Hold students accountable for learning. Make learning fun, engaging and interactive.
Set high expectations for all kids and celebrate their successes when they meet those academic
expectations.
Question 11:
What is your overall assessment of NCLB?
Answer:
My overall assessment of NCLB is its intentions were good with the goal of ensuring
that all students were academically proficient upon graduation in reading and math. But because
it was tied to money, it created the “teaching to the test” culture because no educator wants to be
known as the one whose students did not “pass” the standardize test.
Question 12:
. What are some pros and cons of NCLB?
Answer:
This is a pro and con, it brought awareness to the gaps that exist among students in
school, but it did not (in my professional opinion) help to close the gap. Because money was tied
to performance. Districts (and educators) found ways to make sure they got the money, even if
the students who needed the help the most experienced minimal learning gains.
FIELD EXPERT INTERVIEW
6
Conclusion
During this interview, I learned a lot about the effects that NCLB had on students in other
areas. At the time NCLB was implemented, I was still in college and hoping to become an
educator within a few years. I spent time becoming “highly qualified” so that I could be hired,
but what I learned in college was nothing like what I experienced in the classroom. This
interview gave me insight to how others already in the field felt about the new laws. I realize
now that the effects were still the same nationwide because Dr. Pough was working in Texas at
the time. I had only been in Georgia and Florida and felt like we had the roughest time trying to
adjust to the new standards. The fact that Dr. Pough was working in Texas, George W. Bush’s
home state, and still being behind the proverbial eight ball was alarming to me. NCLB was great
in theory, but the practice of NCLB hurt more than it helped.
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