From the No Child Left Behind Act report

The no child left behind act is supposed to make our children smarter by making our public schools more affective. I found a report on the "Center on Education Policy" website and I found the following information interesting in the summary of the report.

Scores on state tests have risen in a large majority of states and schools
districts, according tothe state and local officials we surveyed.

Seventy-one percent of the school districts we surveyed reported that
they have reduced elementary school instructional time in at least one other subject
to make more time for reading and mathematics—the subjects tested for NCLB.
In some case study districts, struggling students receive double periods of
reading or math or both—sometimes missing certain subjects altogether.

Regulatory changes may also affect percentages proficient. Many states have
also taken advantage of additional flexibility from the U.S. Department of
Education (ED) to make policy changes that may result in more students being
counted as proficient. These changes include testing some students with
disabilities against modified or alternate standards and counting passing
scores from students who retake a test they previously failed. It is not
clear to what extent state policy changes have contributed to rising
percentages of students reaching proficiency.

So, basically, the solution to our children not learning anything in school is to teach longer on the few subjects they will be tested on, and then lower the standards. Is this the new American way?