Other recent cheating incidents have been reported in California, Illinois, Louisiana, Florida, Virginia, and Ohio. Last year, New York City cited over 61 educators in 30 schools for cheating infractions. Principals in that city are so sensitive, the New York Times reported, that they cover classroom walls with brown paper on test days and have board members patrol the hallways. Test Pressures Mount Test pressure has resulted in high school students boycotting or intentionally failing tests and younger students becoming physically ill as test day approaches. Both teachers unions focused their summer conventions on the unfair demands of the new standards and testing without proper curriculum.
Parents are mounting campaigns to slow down the rush to high-stakes tests.
There needs to be a lot more discussion about this kind of testing. A bipartisan poll released last summer found that the majority of voters didn t believe that a single test could accurately measure a student s progress for a whole school year. He also appeared on Nightline with Ted Koppel. He also pointed out that in a profession that already faces shortages at all levels, this was not a healthy environment. Until the policy-makers and educators find some middle ground, the tests will be with us.