Busting Myths About Testing and School "Reform"

Diane Ravitch, who once supported school choice and the No Child Left Behind law, now admits in her new book that she was wrong. In The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education, she shares some of the biggest problems and myths that have arisen out of those "reform" efforts. The excerpts below are from a recent talk Diane gave at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C.

"Testing and Accountability have taken us farther from the goal of a good education for all children." These so-called innovations have "created a system of institutionalized fraud," where schools dumb-down tests and lie and cheat during the process.

"High graduation rates have produced more illiterate students," because of the pervasive cheating that goes on.

"America has had 50 years of vouchers. There have been virtually no gains for students as a result of the use of vouchers."

"There are charters schools in 15 states and D.C... Only 17% of those schools produced better results than public schools with the same kinds of students... The overwhelming majority did no better or did worse than public schools."

"Some charter schools execs make $500,000 a year for presiding over schools with only 1,000 children."

"The 'best' schools have Ivy-League-educated teachers who burn-out in 2-3 years."

I agree with Ravitch that education is hard, and that "when any one measure (such as standardized testing) is used to evaluate a complex activity (teaching), the measure is corrupted." Like Ravitch, I'm not against standardized tests. But I am against their misuse, abuse, and overuse, which is what has happened to an alarming and shameful extent since the passage of NCLB. The obsessive focus on standardized tests has greatly diminished the joys of teaching and learning and practically erased the ability of most teachers to teach children in creative, engaging, and relevant ways. As a result, too many children are not getting the education they deserve and desperately need.

Please add your voice to those who are urging Congress and the White House to change the NCLB law so that joy and effectiveness can be returned to teaching. Our children's futures -- and ours -- are at stake.
For more information about Ravitch, her book, and her work, go to:
http://www.dianeravitch.com