Activists Concerns "Teaching to the Test"

Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin wants to make major adjustments to the No Child Left Behind Law.  Harkin wants to eliminate that schools show achievement improvement also known as yearly progress.  Instead, he wants to put that responsibility on students with physical/mental challenges.

    

Harkin feels that this would put less pressure on teachers who want to “teach to the test.”  These tests are often standardized and put a school in high standings if students perform well.  Activists have concerns about this method of teaching.

“The loss of goals and progress targets would dismantle the positive aspects of NCLB’s accountability system and be a significant step backward that we can ill afford to take,” wrote representatives of six civil rights and advocacy groups including the National Center for Learning Disabilities in a letter to Harkin and Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., who also worked on the proposal.

These concerns come soon after activists organizations wrote separate letters on a different plan on the resigning of the No Child Left Behind Law.  Under that plan, students with physical/mental challenges would be held to different academic rules than able-bodied students.  Activists also are concerned this “teaching to the test” idea may affect other minority students.

“Teaching to the Test” Success?: http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2011/10/12/advocates-test-backfire/14224/