Texas business leaders accuse educators of ‘scaring mom’ about standardized tests - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Texas business leaders accuse educators of ‘scaring mom’ about standardized tests - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

Texas business leaders accuse educators of ‘scaring mom’ about standardized tests

by Valerie Strauss

The backlash in Texas against excessive high-stakes standardized testing seems to be rattling business leaders, who have now blamed educators for panicking parents about the exams.
Laboring under the delusion that standardized tests are the key to “holding schools accountable” for student achievement, leaders of the Texas Coalition for a Competitive Workforce have warned that they will oppose future hikes in school spending if the testing regime in Texas is weakened, the Houston Chronicle reported in this story
Read full article >>

Keeping students safe: a bill even this Congress should be able to pass

by Valerie Strauss

There are some things which even this polarized Congress should be able to come together to accomplish.
One of those would be the Keeping All Students Safe Act, which would protect schoolchildren from abusive use of physical restraints and solitary confinement by mandating minimum safety standards in public schools.
Read full article >>

The Spruce Goose of education reform

by Valerie Strauss

This was written by David Gamberg, superintendent of schools in Southold Union Free School District in New York.


By David Gamberg
As educators throughout New York scurry to finish completing the behemoth of grand plans to “reform” educationfor the children of this state, one is reminded of the debacle in design known as The Spruce Goose.
Read full article >>