Moreover, some of the tests aren't even based on the state's standards. Another problem is that in some states and districts, pressure to show big improvements on test scores forces teachers to spend weeks, and even months, drilling students on the tests. In effect, the tests become the curriculum. The solution to these problems is not to abandon testing but to fix what is wrong. It would be disastrous to go back to where we were before we started on standards reform, and polls make it clear that the majority of Americans don't want to.
Tests are an essential part of that reform.
They are necessary to measure progress and show us who needs help and for fair accountability. But legitimate questions about problems with high-stakes testing should not simply be dismissed or trivialized. High-stakes testing by itself is not enough. All rights reserved.