The Bush Years, In Perspective

Investor's Business Daily ^ | various | IBD Editorials

[ClaireSolt]

Many places education is totally corrupt, and I think using the phrase "teaching to the test" is an example of that. All my life teachers just taught the curriculum and always tested. When teachers came up with excuses for not teaching the curriculum to the students we got children who finished 12 who couldn't even read.

I have limited administrative experience in education. I was a history teacher 7-12 and then a professor of history at a black heritage college where 80% of incoming freshmen could not pass entrance exams. but I left teaching and went into sales.

I would not have known enough to design the system of incentives and standards in NCLB, but I have followed it as it ws implemented here by Jeb Bush a little ahead of NCLB and it has worked very well. Teachers and school officials initially dragged their feet but eventually decided to buckle down and make it work. They have been pleased, too.