Obama Administration Calls for Limits on Testing in Schools
Source: New York Times
Faced with mounting and bipartisan opposition to increased and often high-stakes testing in the nations public schools, the Obama administration declared Saturday that the push had gone too far, acknowledged its own role in the proliferation of tests, and urged schools to step back and make exams less onerous and more purposeful.
Specifically, the administration called for a cap on assessment so that no child would spend more than 2 percent of classroom instruction time taking tests. It called on Congress to reduce over-testing as it reauthorizes the federal legislation governing the nations public elementary and secondary schools.
I still have no question that we need to check at least once a year to make sure our kids are on track or identify areas where they need support, said Arne Duncan, the secretary of education, who has said he will leave office in December. But I cant tell you how many conversations Im in with educators who are understandably stressed and concerned about an overemphasis on testing in some places and how much time testing and test prep are taking from instruction.
Its important that were all honest with ourselves, he continued. At the federal, state and local level, we have all supported policies that have contributed to the problem in implementation. We can and will work with states, districts and educators to help solve it.
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/25/us/obama-administration-calls-for-limits-on-testing-in-schools.html
femmocrat
(28,394 posts)Teachers tried to tell them.
Maybe they'll learn that we really do know what we're doing. That's doubtful, of course, but maybe someday.
teach1st
(5,935 posts)I'd like to know the drama behind this unexpected move. Has Arne been pressured by his successor to announce this now or have the hidden parts of his budget made public? Did President Obama himself finally wake up to the problem? Did Pearson suddenly drop its clandestine financial support? Did Michelle Obama blackmail Arne by threatening to disclose an alleged affair with Michelle Rhee unless he eased up on the testing? Have I been watching too much Netflix?
elleng
(130,865 posts)sulphurdunn
(6,891 posts)spent taking standardized tests, nor with the number of tests taken, although there is too much of both. The problem is with the amount of time spent preparing to take them, the fact that instruction revolves around them, the waste of vast sums of money on them and the punitive consequences of failing them.
msongs
(67,395 posts)McKim
(2,412 posts)The McGraws of McGraw-Hill are close friends of the Bushes. Privatizing education started with the Bush Administration. McGraw Hill owns Princeton Testing Services...ding..ding we have a winner! Testing companies are doing well, another way to put public money into private hands and to intimidate our school population so they can "learn their place" in the underclass and learn to be afraid of authority.
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)its schools not to be considered failing anymore? I don't trust Duncan or Obama. Words are just words. All politicians are smooth talkers. I want to see action.
Locrian
(4,522 posts)If you want to read how bad it can get, read: Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Dragon: Why China Has the Best (and Worst) Education System in the World
http://www.amazon.com/Whos-Afraid-Big-Bad-Dragon/dp/1118487133/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445714052&sr=8-1&keywords=whos+afraid+of+the+big+bad+dragon
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2014/nov/20/myth-chinese-super-schools/
If the West is concerned about being overtaken by China, then the best solution is to avoid becoming China..
The United States is already ensnared in the testing obsession that has trapped China. It is not too late to escape. Parents and educators across the nation are up in arms about the amount of instructional time now devoted to test preparation and testing. Yong Zhao offers wise counsel. We should break our addiction to standardized testing before we sacrifice the cultural values that have made our nation a home to innovation, creativity, originality, and invention
pnwmom
(108,977 posts)were the only ones benefiting from this overemphasis on standardized tests.
McKim
(2,412 posts)Arne Duncan left his post as Sect'y of Education and now we have testing being cut back. It must be election time and they so need the votes and support of teachers after dumping on them for 8 years. That's why.
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)I don't vote based on promises. I vote based on a politician's voting record.
Response to teach1st (Original post)
Person 2713 This message was self-deleted by its author.
Person 2713
(3,263 posts)Kids? Zip nada