Older students can learn how cartoonists use visual shorthand. All students recognize corporate logos, but far fewer know that the donkey and elephant represent political parties. Heitzmann also suggests giving students a cartoon without a caption and letting them write one. Such an exercise can help build student interpretive skills. Politicians have focused on an issue that they think appeals to voters.
Public schools are in great danger.
The notion that test scores equal quality means that money will flow to schools that have the greatest increase in test scores. Money will flow out of those schools that don't do well. This accountability system establishes an underlying mechanism for market forces to take over education. Our nation seems to be applying the same regulatory model to schools that we apply to underperforming savings and loan institutions. If they were really concerned about student-centered learning, they'd be listening to the research community about the effects of this testing.