The Pending Collapse of National Standards
As I previewed yesterday, I think the the tide has turned and the push to nationalize standards, curriculum, and assessments will fail. It’s impressive how far the current effort has gotten and the Gates/U.S. Department have a bunch of folks believing that their triumph is inevitable. But the drive for nationalization is doomed for the following reasons:
1) Every major Republican presidential candidate (and even the minor ones) have come out clearly against national standards. That means if the Republicans retake the White House, this federally-driven effort will fall apart. Even if Obama is re-elected, having the Republican standard-bearer come out clearly against national standards will raise the profile of this issue and signal to congressional, state, and local Republicans that this is something they should oppose. A louder and more partisan debate on national standards makes any big national change highly unlikely.
2) It’s true that forty-some states have signed on for national standards but that was largely a cost-free gesture in