The vast majority of readers who responded to our Question of the Week apparently have more confidence in area schools than than they do in the testing required by the No Child Left Behind Act.

As of Friday afternoon, about 77 percent answered "no" to the question, "Do you think the results of No Child Left Behind Act testing accurately reflects the quality of education in our schools."

There were about 430 responses to our unscientific poll.

The question arose earlier this month because both Helena's high school and elementary districts didn't meet the NCLBA testing standard.

The standards for schools in the No Child Left Behind Act are complex.

By far, most students in the two districts passed the testing.

But if one school in the district doesn't pass, the district doesn't pass.

And if a school's students in even one of 11 identified categories don't pass as a group, the school doesn't pass. All the students must meet the same standards.

In the Helena districts' case the problem groups were apparently economically disadvantaged students and students with special needs.

Another wrinkle in the NCLBA standards is that if there are fewer than 40 students in a particular group in a school, that group's results can't determine the entire school's fate.

"I don't get it," one reader wrote. "That means a child can be left behind at a small school,

doesn't it?"

Some readers saw the standards as political:

"While extolling 'local control' as on of its governing precepts -- especially on controversial environmental issues like timber sales -- (the administration) institutes the NCLB power grab, nullifying 'local control' over education.

"And why does it demand more accountability from $30,000 per year teachers than from the war profiteering of $1 million per year Halliburton executives or $100,000 per year Blackwater mercenaries?"

A disappointing personal experience apparently shaped another reader's response:

"One intention of the No Child Left Behind Act was to measure teachers and how well they perform in the classroom.

"Failure in the system means the teachers are failing the students by providing less than high-quality education -- as if that should come as a surprise to most parents."

Perhaps not surprisingly, given the poll results, other readers had pretty much the opposite view:

"Our teachers can teach," one said. "I know for a fact that's true. Testing is not teaching."