Over the last couple of weeks on my America Weekend show, I have talked to educators who are fed up with the over-emphasis on testing in schools. From a kindergarten teacher in Massachusetts to a gifted students teacher in Florida to a school superintendent in Texas, there’s a sense that programs like No Child Left Behind and Race To The Top have added too much pressure to the delicate classroom chemistry, and it’s affecting both students and teachers.
The latest to shine a spotlight on the problem with testing is Liz Phillips, veteran principal of a public school in Brooklyn, New York. She and her colleagues say the statewide English Language Assessment is more than a waste of time, it is simply not a good test of students’ abilities. Moreover, the state board of education and the private company that writes and administers the tests, won’t share the results with teachers and parents.
Listen to our conversation here.