obama's NCLB 2.0: testing in every grade. whoopee!

[Hannah Bell]

The No Child Left Behind law, heavily criticized because of the massive amount of testing it involved, required standardized tests in math and reading in the third through eighth grades and one year in high school.

According to the March 14 front-page article "Obama calls for 'No Child' remake," we will have standardized tests in every grade, with the strong possibility of tests in other subjects as well, continuing the movement to convert schools into test-prep academies.

This means billions of dollars will be spent on test construction, validation, revision, etc., at a time when schools are already short of funds. Many science classes have no lab equipment, school libraries have few new books, school bathrooms lack toilet paper, school years are being shortened and teachers are losing their jobs.

Do we have to test every child, every year, to see how our schools are doing? When you get a check-up, they don't take all your blood -- just a sample.

Stephen Krashen

http://www.schoolsmatter.info/

[Rhiannon12866]

1. Good God!

My cousin told me that she had to bring refreshments to her daughter's school because of this all day testing, "Every Child Left Behind," she called it. The child is EIGHT! :crazy:

[TalkingDog]

2. If I ever had children or in the event (tho unforeseeable) that I do

This is exactly why they would be homeschooled.

Teach them about every freakin' god you want to shove down their throats, but for pities sake, give them something useful too.

Testing only shows you the people who are good at taking tests.
Traditional schooling only allows people who learn well aurally and verbally to excel

And not to knock teachers, but those that fit the items listed above are the folks who go into teaching. Generally they don't feel beaten down by the system, because it's geared to them.

Visual and Kinesthetic learners, more often than not, get screwed, and they especially get screwed by test taking.


fumble fingers

[sam kane]

3. this is nuts. nt.

[tonysam]

4. The private school where I taught had kids tested from KINDERGARTEN

on up. Completely inappropriate, but that way the school could brag about how the five-year-olds were in the 90th percentile so they could get more students.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Head Start is testing their kids now

Someone posted an article here about that maybe a year ago?

Yes, 3 year olds are being given standardized tests. Thought I had heard it all. Then I heard that. :mad:

[Riley18]

6. Students are tested in 1st and 2nd grade already. They are just using the

label of standardized testing as a way to continue the dismantling of free public education. I remember my kids being given placement tests in primary grades, but the tests were used as a teaching tool. What the president is proposing is to use a test to punish schools. One thing I cannot stand is the term "charter school" when in fact they are really just corporate profit centers. Our children are being used by the politicians for their own profit. Funny how this remake is taking priority over regulating the banks.

[Croowl]

7. My 4 year old is tested regularly in preschool!

My 4 year old son is enrolled in a public preschool in a low-income area. When my 7 year old attended the same program, it was a wonderful, play-based program. Now, the program involves lots of worksheets, writing letters and even homework (more worksheets!). The program is 2.5 hours long and the majority of that time is spent sitting and working. The kids are tested monthly on the numbers and letters that they can name in a one minute period. There is nothing sadder than hearing my 4 year old say, "We didn't have time to play today" or "I hope I don't have homework tonight". OOur school is an underperforming one, but made AYP last year.