[okie01]

But in the end you need a quantitative way to evaluate the output of the different schools. While there are parts of common core that may need tweaking the idea of a national standard in education and measuring against it seems prudent.

When I was in school (ancient history: the forties and fifties), there was something called the Iowa test.

It seemed a fair test of general skills in math, English, history and geography.

It had nothing to do with your grade, but ended up on your report card and the school district considered it in grading its schools.

I've always wondered "What the hell was wrong with that?"

[GeronL]

Apparently Common Core is about “fairness” in that it seeks to make all kids imbeciles equally

[loboinok]

Are you referring to the Iowa Basic Skills Test? Wow, it’s been decades but you jogged my memory!