The issue appears to be Malvern's authorization of the use of note pads by the fourth-graders to allow them to organize their thoughts before writing a test paragraph response. I'm also told that there was no such proscription in any of the rules provided to the schools to administer the test. I've never heard of such nonsense. I question the appropriateness of forcing fourth-graders to extemporaneously draft a coherent paragraph on any subject. Rather than the suggestion that CSAP standards may be too high . . .
Pine Valley is an excellent school and it is well-administered.
This seems not to be a major problem with the principal. It does rise serious questions as to the testing strategies and purposes of the CSAP exams. What's the real reason for administration's plan President Bush's insistence on a missile defense system is totally wrongheaded, for several reasons. Second, all offensive and defensive weapons systems throughout history have had countermeasures developed against them. Radar saw the advent of stealth, tanks saw the evolution of anti-tank weapons, etc.