Well, Here's Something That Will Never Fly

[dr_pretentious]

Check out this astonishing article in the New York Times. Apparently our nation's illustrious Secretary of Education knows just what American higher education needs: federally mandated standardized testing for undergraduate degrees. Because, you know, No Child Left Behind has been such a rousing success in our nation's primary and secondary schools.

This quotation is especially mind-blowing:
“Too many Americans just aren’t getting the education that they need,” the report said. “There are disturbing signs that many students who do earn degrees have not actually mastered the reading, writing and thinking skills we expect of college graduates.”

And increasing the emphasis on standardized testing is so conducive to developing sophisticated writing and critical thinking skills, right? Nothing like filling in dots with a number two pencil to reveal a capacity for independent thought. And turning colleges into cram schools is sure to prepare our college graduates to compete in a global labor market.

Thank you, Secretary Spellings. Why didn't I think of that?

Comments

[jasminewind.livejournal.com]

Ugh, MORE standardized tests?

I am actually thinking of taking my kids OUT of school on standardized test days and making them enrichment days - especially here in DC, the could go to any number of museums or cultural events instead of filling in bubbles on a scantron form.

But, that doesn't get rid of the whole test-prep method of education that prevails when the tests are given such weight. We decided to keep A in private school for kindergarten, perhaps we'll just go that route the whole way up. I also kick around the desire to home school, but I also want to work so that is a hard one to balance.

Education is such a sticky issue! I want to support the systems and make them accessible and successful for the majority, but I also don't want to raise a drone or have my children's individuality suffer from the system.

[aberdeen.livejournal.com]

Just so you know, if your kids miss the Standardized Test Days, your school will be dinged for it. No, I'm serious. One of the criteria on which schools are judged is the percentage of students taking the tests. Where I live, that's a really important factor, because one sick kid and we drop below the cut-off for that class and automatically fail the NCLB requirements. Probably less of an issue for your school, but something to be aware of.