As for standardized tests, schools are required to meet rigorous standards. Test security is so strict that violating it in any way can get you fired. The tests are kept under lock and key, and you have to read and sign a document explaining procedures and penalties before you can take possession of testing material. The teachers do not score the tests. In fact, some schools require teachers to switch classes, so that they aren't testing their own students.
Additionally, any student who is in your school on test day, regardless of whether or not that student transferred in the day of the test goes on that school's scores, and affects the measurement of adequate yearly progress, per the stipulations of the No Child Left Behind Act.
Do incompetent teachers exist? Yes, of course. However, you are indicting all teachers, and in that, you are incorrect. I don't have a problem with you pointing out problems with education. I do have a problem with blanket statements that claim no teacher anywhere is doing his or her job.
If that was your point originally, you should have been more specific. Until you just stated such, I didn't even know you had a point.
As for standardized tests, schools are required to meet rigorous standards. Test security is so strict that violating it in any way can get you fired. The tests are kept under lock and key, and you have to read and sign a document explaining procedures and penalties before you can take possession of testing material. The teachers do not score the tests. In fact, some schools require teachers to switch classes, so that they aren't testing their own students.
Correct, see NYC, Long Island, and Chicago Illinois for how these were broken (and caught, the long island case was simply pathetic).
In High School, I actually saw the guys bring in the test from an armored car, they have security, its also known that there had been incidents of cheating, which have been caught and resulted in prosecution.
Do incompetent teachers exist? Yes, of course. However, you are indicting all teachers, and in that, you are incorrect. I don't have a problem with you pointing out problems with education. I do have a problem with blanket statements that claim no teacher anywhere is doing his or her job.
I do not think all teachers are incompetant, I do think that many are, I also do believe that there are good teachers, but they are sacrifised on the altar for the bad ones.
I do believe that standards are not high enough for teachers graduating college (and I say this with my friends who are teachers also having the required masters) and that the courses in college are being dumbed down for these future teachers, and the union is protecting them at the expense of the students while blaming every other circumstance under the sun....including students and parents.
Rather then the Union admit that college standards are to low, or admit that some of its teachers are not qualified, or note that spending more money and shrinking class size isn't a dashing success, it.....blames the test and says start school early.