Amen to that. I have worked in public education for over 25 years and don’t make a lot of money. But, since my salary comes from tax payers, I should NOT make a lot of money. Come on educators, get your head out of the clouds and stick to educating children.
And the reason for standardized tests is to INSURE that students know and understand basic information. Why is that so hard to understand?
Unlike some homeschoolers, I don’t mind standardized tests as it gives me a snapshot of what my kids have retained.
However, I never prep them for it or teach towards it. I teach, they learn. If they learned it well, it shows on the test.
In GA, we only have to test every 3 years, and in my experience that has been enough. There have been several studies showing most of these children who are “behind” in K-2 usually catch up by 4th grade anyway.
“And the reason for standardized tests is to INSURE that students know and understand basic information. Why is that so hard to understand?”
Exactly. If the standard for grade-x is “US History to x-level,” or “add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions,” what else are they being taught? If having to bring students up to a uniform standard of knowledge is getting in the way of social engineering and putting condoms on cucumbers then I’m all for it.