NEW SCHOOL YEAR: DOUBLING DOWN ON FAILED ED. POLICY
Washington Post "The Answer Sheet" Blog -- August 9, 2012
This was written by Lisa Guisbond, a policy analyst for the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, known as FairTest, a Boston-based organization that aims to improve standardized testing practices and evaluations of students, teachers and schools.
for further information: Dr. Monty Neill (617) 477-9792 Bob Schaeffer (239) 395-6773
for immediate release, Tuesday, June 26, 2012
HIGH-STAKES TESTING RESISTANCE SPREADS ACROSS NATION; RESOLUTIONS, BOYCOTTS, OPT-OUTS SHOW INCREASED PUBLIC OPPOSITION TO FAILED “TEST-AND-PUNISH” SCHOOL POLICIES
Across the U.S., the politically mandated misuse of standardized tests is damaging public schools and the children they serve. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s investigation of suspicious test scores around the nation is just the latest example. Experts may debate the methodology, but there is no question that cheating on standardized exams is widespread. In just the past three academic years, FairTest has documented confirmed cases of test score manipulation in 33 states plus the District of Columbia.
Dear Members of the Commission: The National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest) is concerned about the damage done to educational equity and excellence by the use of high-stakes testing. Among the widely documented problems are: