Reform that Isn't

New York Times: More Schools Rely on Tests, but Study Raises Doubts. "Rigorous testing that decides whether students graduate, teachers win bonuses and schools are shuttered, an approach already in place in more than half the nation, does little to improve achievement and may actually worsen academic performance and dropout rates, according to the largest study ever on the issue."

Pushing standardized tests has always been the first choice of those who want to have their say on education, but who lack any real insight into what is wrong with the current system, and what needs to be done to fix it. Talking about testing and accountability might sound good during the campaign, but it shouldn't be any surprise that this kind of "reform" is counterproductive.