Failing is the New Passing
by Elissa Stein
by Elissa Stein
New York State test scores were released this week. It was reported that 26 percent of 3rd-8th graders in NYC passed the English test while 30 percent passed math.
Flipping that around, 74 percent failed English and 70 failed math.
Fingers are being pointed, excuses made, and silver linings desperately searched for. But, at the end of the day, thousands of kids failed.
Here’s the crazy part: they failed a test they couldn’t study for and that teachers couldn’t prepare them for. These students were guinea pigs for a new system. Yes, that new system emphasizes creative problem solving and analyzing instead of relying on memorization, which makes a lot of sense. And perhaps in the long run the Common Core learning standards that educators are adopting will be beneficial.
But not for these kids.
These kids were confronted with material they hadn’t covered and information they’d not
