“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”
How do high scores on Math Reading and English not represent education? Please define what you mean by “actual Learning” more diversity classes? More sex education (pornafication of children)? More passing students year after year because of their age not their grades? More dumbing down of the curriculum so public schools can maintain the touchy feely approach to basic education?
The bottom line is this, 2 plus 2 equals 4. That will never change, wheres the harm in testing to see if a 1st grader knows that or not?
..again, I’m all for testing, but this isn’t just about math and reading, for example, a school requires all teachers to spend part of their class period covering XX items for the State test- which includes minimums for diversity education and cultural studies. A math teacher, for example, has to spend part of his time teaching diversity points that are on the test.
They also have to spend a block of time in each class teaching ‘how to take the test’..
Again, I am all for testing, and I’m all for rewarding based on those tests, what I am not for is the school boards making the decisions without the parent’s involvement in the curriculum nor having any oversight to ensure the kids are actually being taught- that is the breaking point.