School Testing – So what’s the answer?

Are we now in a “Race to the Top of the Pile of Common Core Crap” in education?

For a long time we’ve been relying on the great and powerful Federal Government ($ wink-wink-$) to use the carrot and stick approach to financing education goals through Federal monies…

We just stopped reeling from Ted Kennedy and George Bush’s brainchild of “No Child Left Behind” which didn’t work, even though it was a noble effort to tie $ to school performance …

But how do we measure student progress in learning the skills and abilities to be better citizens and workers? Who measures them and to what criteria do you tie Federal $?

Do we have specific regurgitation tests? One with written essays?

Do we tie “all” funding to test scores and get a bunch of test taker products?

A little history:

2002: Bush signed Ted Kennedy’s bill “No Child Left Behind” that required math & reading tests of 3rd grade and upward….usually to tie the Federal $ to need or remove funding.

2009: Obama started “Race to the Top” tying teacher performance to Federal $.

2013: Many Atlanta teachers/administrators were found to have cheated on scores to get ‘mo money.

2014: 2 Chicago teachers say “NO” to giving tests…

2014: Now there’ the new crap called “Common Core” – same crap but the name has changed to protect the idiots?

2014: Georgia Senate Bill 167 allegedly proposes we reject Federal Common Core requirements and leave it up to the State of Georgia to determine what educational learning standards Georgia should strive toward. Question: Do you believe education (i.e., childhood cerebral indoctrination) is a state or federal issue?

So, will we wait for the next US President to start something new, or is it time to “take this country back” and start over?

In other words, if you’re a liberal, you “grovel for the federal $”, but if you’re more conservative, you “see more strings attached to your pockets”. Are you a sucker or visionary?

See Wall Street Journal, March 1-2, 2014, Page A3
See Marietta Daily Journal, 3-6-3024, A1.

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