The problem is some schools are just teaching to this because they only answer to groups whose only interest is high scores, not education. I am all for testing, but local school boards are pushing more for scores than actual learning. The problem here is parents not being involved in the school's actions and the boards aren't disclosing curriculum... this follows perfectly with Thompson's next comment:
"We expect you to get objective testing done and publicize those tests for the local parents and for the local citizens and suffer the political ramifications locally if things don't work out right.... It's your responsibility," he said. "If you don't like what's going on, don't get in your car and drive by your school board and maybe drive by the capitol and get on an airplane and fly to Washington and say, 'I don't like the way the school down the street is being run.'"
It goes back to the problem, the oversight in the testing piece is done by those whose only vested interest is in high scores, not education. It takes the parents out of the mix and leaves the responsibility to the government bureaucracy.
The National Education Association is driven by its desire to avoid accountability so it blasts the federal mandate to improve test scores.
The standard should be set at the local level, it should be high and there should be accountability. That means union members could lose their jobs.
Fred seems to get the local thing right on this one but I would have offered a strong opinion about union extremists wanting to avoid teaching reading and writing.
Of course, I’d remind parents to get involved to.
I’m not committed for president right now but my incliniation is always towards conservative candidates who are not on the top tier.
McCain and Ron Paul are out the door in my book.
I’m listening to all the rest from the top guys (Romney, Giuliani, Thompson) through the rest from Huckabee to Hunter, Tancredo, etc.