Standoff with California

So the US Department of education is allowing California to not report standardized testing scores or allowing these scores to affect students and teachers. This is from a long standoff which resulted in Arne Duncan threatening to withhold 3.5 billion dollars used to educate underserved and disabled children. This is all over standardized tests that aren't aligned to standards (common core) being taught in schools. What bothers me is the threat to withhold much needed funds that will benefit children. This seems the opposite of education to me. We need to rethink why we need these tests, especially when they aren't calibrated to what is mandated to be taught in class.

The article continues to talk about critics who say throwing out the test is depriving educators of data. I think that is silly, because teachers have data everyday their students are in class. This data is from observational notes, chapter tests, writing samples, reflections, projects etc. There is plenty of data a test administered once a year is far less reliable sample of students' ability.

I think they just shouldn't test the students at all this year. It also reminds me of what is currently going on in a handful of CPS schools. The test seems frivolous and useless, why are we making kids take it? To punish them? To make them follow directions without question?




Layton, Lindsay (Mar 7, 2014). In Standoff with California over Testing Education Department. The Washington Post. Blinks. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/in-standoff-with-california-over-testing-education-department-blinks/2014/03/07/08f7e1b8-a63e-11e3-9cff-b1406de784f0_story.html