Amid the ever-escalating controversy over this state’s high-stakes, standardized-testing obsession, two realities are increasingly reinforced.
First, this 15-year, “accountability” charade is now being seen for the pedagogic Potemkin Village that it is. Teaching-to-the-test instruction cheats students and demoralizes teachers. It’s an issue that antagonizes across the political spectrum–from teacher unions to big government-loathing, GOP primary voters. The only ones seeing no evil are inept, profiteering test vendors.
Ultimately, Jeb Bush will pay the long-overdue price in compromised legacy and undermined presidential aspirations.
Second, politicians are beginning to realize what teachers have always known. There are no standardized students–or parents.