There needs to be a plan to address special education. Teachers need more specific feedback in the test results to learn where students strengths and weaknesses lie. Teachers are overwhelmed by the need to do well and feel a loss of the spark that made them go into education. Elementary results should not be published, but rather used as an internal tool to improve. The level of assistance is not adequate at the current level, so this can be nothing but improvement.
Early intervention is necessary.
There should be a greater focus on drawing in more parents. Specialists in content areas should train teachers. We need to change the way we approach things so that schools are more inviting for parents to get involved. Targeted Assistance Donations of school supplies should be made to low socio-economic areas. Look at other state programs that are using an assistance model to see what is effective.