Our public schools are under attack, and it’s time to speak up! For too long we’ve watched and accepted accountability measures that place priority on testing rather than learning. The punitive system we have in place stifles creativity, sets students up for failure, and erodes a love for learning and teaching.
For three decades we’ve been testing students in Texas, yet there is little to no evidence that high stakes testing produces an effective measure of student learning or results in college and career ready students. State mandated testing has increased, while our students’ SAT scores – universally accepted as a litmus for post-secondary readiness – have not improved.
It’s all too easy for testing proponents to blame public schools, teachers, or even “lazy” kids. It’s tempting to say that school choice will fix the problem. The issue is not with accountability; the problem is our fixation on high stakes testing as a measure of success.
I don’t know how you will counter the real-life fact that Pearson probably has ever lobbyist that they employ – working the Texas elected officials – so as not to kill the golden goose.
I know that real life grammar and spelling are still a requirement and the public schools do not consider that as a necessity, as you are clearly illustrating.
The money belongs to the students not the school districts and teachers. Involved parents will go to the best schools regardless of them being public, private or any sort of .Charter District. The tests do not measure college potential as do SAT and ACT. The districts do not have a monopoly on our children and the parents have rights, which include choice. The taxes belong to each student and the right to be educated and the school to be held accountable should be the focus.
Children are not lazy, but the schools do not address the needs and they are not allowed a proper education. That needs to be fixed!