[Casie]

In a system where a teacher's pay is based on her student's test scores you think maybe there could be cheating?

Duhhhhhh

The day before the test I'd be feeding those little chickadees test answers in the form of rap songs with music videos of dancing cats if it meant me getting a bigger paycheck.

[pepsionice]

Here’s the thing to think about. Some idiots paid a university to baby-sit them for four years, and then give them a certificate. Now, when the boss wants to be certain of your abilities....you can’t admit that you are still as dumb as a brick (the day you left high school). So you cheat to reach your goals in life.

So here’s my suggestion....mandate an exit exam from college. You actually have to pass a two-hundred question exam to exit and get your degree. I’d make a bet that fifty percent of all fourth-year folks would have to stay around a fifth year...just to practice for this exam.

[Tax-chick]

the percentages of blacks who passed the Praxis I reading, writing and mathematics tests on their first try were 41, 44 and 37, respectively. For white test takers, the respective percentages were 82, 80 and 78.

The numbers for whites are also academically ghastly.

Does anyone capable of reading and comprehending the flow of information on Free Republic honestly believe that he is not "qualified" to teach his own children, if he wanted to?

[Alberta's Child]

One small measure of defense for teachers in the case of the student tests is that the whole system of tying teacher compensation to student performance -- while understandable on its face -- is completely flawed.

In many school districts, basing a teacher's pay on student performance is like paying the auto worker who installs the last part on a finished car based on the quality of the entire car that rolls off the line. If the car is a piece of junk by the time it reaches his position on the assembly line, it's unrealistic to expect that he'll be able to produce a good finished product.

[jeffc]

Passing Rates on Praxis I Tests by Race/Ethnicity Group" (March 2011), the percentages of blacks who passed the Praxis I reading, writing and mathematics tests on their first try were 41, 44 and 37, respectively. For white test takers, the respective percentages were 82, 80 and 78.

And now we know why this is a non-story for the "news" media.