Fixing NCLB: How Testing Hurts Disadvantaged Kids
Premium article access courtesy of TeacherMagazine.org.
Read more FREE content!
Printer-Friendly
Email Article
Reprints
Comments (4)
Article tools sponsored by:
I’ve been part of a group of determined teachers from around the nation working to engage in direct discussions with the Obama administration about its blueprint for reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (known for the past decade as No Child Left Behind). Some of us thought it might be a good time to write about issues related to the Blueprint, and why we think seeking the expertise of successful teachers might help lawmakers develop better policies.One of the first points identified by teachers as a problem is that the proposed plan continues to place an emphasis on high-stakes accountability through standardized test scores. What's wrong with a big focus on test scores? Don't we need to know how students are performing?
I'm going to revisit a past post from my blog TeachMoore as I begin to answer. Here’s what I wrote:
I recently had opportunity to talk with some parents, including some who were my former students. One of the most profound and disturbing