Kati Haycock, director of the Education Trust in Washington, D.C., came to the University of Wisconsin Wednesday night to lecture on achievement in America and the positive role that the No Child Left Behind Act has played in America’s public schools.

Haycock presented statistics and other data used to represent the American educational system prior to enacting NCLB. She displayed “progress” that was made from 1973-86 in academic categories like math, reading and science, and said that such progress halted in 1990.

Haycock said American schoolchildren fare worse in high school than they do in elementary and middle schools.

She compared the data of American teenagers exiting high school to that of students of the same age from other countries.

There is a great discrepancy between economic rankings and academic rankings as compared to other nations, Haycock said.

“Kids in other countries in secondary education grow more than ours do. Though we rank richest in the world, our rankings academically are far lower,” she said.

Haycock said there are large gaps in her data between children of different racial backgrounds and children of different economic status. Most children in poorer households, she said, begin school behind their grade level. Instead of giving them the extra help they need to succeed, the American education system provides those students with less, Haycock said.

“We basically have organized an educational system in this country that, when children arrive behind, they are given less than an adequate education,” Haycock said.

She also presented a statistic showing that 60 percent of Americans who have graduated college by age 26 are from high-income households. However, she said only 7 percent of those college graduates are from low-income households.

“Unless you and I are prepared to argue that kids from higher income households are eight times as smart as those of lower income households, then there is a big problem here,” Haycock said.

Haycock acknowledged a few criticisms that NCLB frequently receives, including the idea that NCLB is an “under-funded mandate.” Haycock presented a variety of statistics and charts she said proves NCLB is actually adequately funded.

Haycock said we are seeing progress since NCLB was instated. She said schools making the most progress are the ones that are dedicated to and motivated by NCLB. Haycock contended schools that place an emphasis on focused education and good teaching tend to make the most progress.

“When you spend time at places that are making progress … you find very engaging students and very engaging teachers,” Haycock said.

In a question-and-answer session after her presentation, Haycock answered a variety of questions posed by educators and students in the audience. Most of the educators seemed skeptical of the data and evidence presented by Haycock, which sparked a heated discussion.

UW sophomore Meghan Dunlap said she came to the lecture generally uninformed about NCLB.

“For me, it was good to hear a person tell us what good is coming of it,” Dunlap said.

Dunlap said she intends to become a teacher upon graduating, and hopes her education at UW will help prepare her to deal with the changes NCLB makes for teachers in the United States.

“I really hope that because of [NCLB], the [UW] School of Education prepares us to handle everything,” Dunlap said.