CURMUDGUCATION: Obama's Testing Action Plan Sucks (And Changes Nothing)

CURMUDGUCATION: Obama's Testing Action Plan Sucks (And Changes Nothing):

Obama's Testing Action Plan Sucks (And Changes Nothing)

As I noted yesterday, the administrative announcement of "Wow, this testing things sure is out of control. We should do something." is absolutely nothing new-- we went through the exact same exercise last year. I know I have readers who don't care for the snark or language over something so serious, but damn-- this makes me so frustrated and angry that it's what I do to cope. So, warning, snark ahead, because I cannot believe that we are going through this same dance of lies and obfuscation again.

What's new this time around is a Presidential video and an action plan. But there's a problem with the action plan. The problem is that it sucks. More specifically, it doesn't represent any shift in administrative policy at all.

Let's take a look at this action plan that some folks are so excited about.

Start with the first three sentences:

One essential part of educating students successfully is assessing their progress in learning to high standards. Done well and thoughtfully, assessments are tools for learning and promoting equity. They provide necessary information for educators, families, the public, and students themselves to measure progress and improve outcomes for all learners.

Read those sentences carefully, because they make one thing crystal clear-- the administrations philosophy on Big Standardized Testing has not shifted so much as a micro-millimeter. The rest of the document simply underlines that.

The preamble goes on to talk about "bad" tests that have been proliferating out there:

--unintended effects of policies that have aimed to provide more useful information to educators, CURMUDGUCATION: Obama's Testing Action Plan Sucks (And Changes Nothing):

ICYMI: Edu-reading for the week

Hey, remember back before everyone was busy writing responses to the latest administration PR blitz? Let's travel back to that land of a Few Days Ago, shall we, and look at some of what deserved reading this week.

Is Success Academy Fighting Inequality


A good look at SA's policy's and involvement in NY lobbying


As a Weapon in the Hands of the Restless Poor

This is a long form piece that originally ran in Harper's back in 1997. It's Earl Shorris writing about his launch of the Clemente Class project, and if you don't know about any of that, this is a good introduction. But it's also an answer to a fundamental question-- is there a point to teaching classical humanities to the poor (or anyone)?

Dear USD, Testing Disaster Is Yours

Don't miss Paul Thomas's take on the current kerfluffle, including a great reading list to put the whole testing biz into historical perspective.

Newark: The Day the Dream Died

Bob Braun takes a look, from right on the front lines, at how things are headed south in Newark. A bummer, but a necessary read.

Should Reading Be Taught in Kindergarten? 

Reading expert Russ Walsh takes a look at this question and handles it with intelligence and balance, as always.

This Is What Has To Be Done 

Jose Luis Vilson, as always an articulate advocate for both the positive and the challenging. A good positive note to end this week's list on.

ICYMI: Edu-reading for the week