Texas Schools Chief: Testing Has Gone Too Far
Texas Education Agency Commissioner Robert Scott said today that the state testing system has become a "perversion of its original intent" and that he was looking forward to "reeling it back in."
Addressing 4,000 school officials at the Texas Association of School Administrators' annual midwinter conference, Scott said that he believed testing was "good for some things," but that in Texas it has gone too far. He said that he was frustrated with what he saw as his "complicitness" in the bureaucracy that testing and accountability systems have thrust on schools.
The remarks, which mirrored those he made at ...
Comments (10)
Texas Parents Opt Out of State Tests via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The system of standardized testing is a perversion indeed. If this isn't a call to action, we don't know what is. Join the Opt Out Movement today.
Dave Mundy
Sonofagun ...a politician who actually tells it like it is.
Robert Scott for Governor!
Since Dubya Bush tied school funding to test results, education conservatives have been trying and trying to tell Texans that doing so would inextricably cement the focus in public education to "passing the test." Kudos to Scott for standing up and speaking out.
Now all he has to do is get rid of all the TEA bureaucrats who keep pushing the touchy-feely, lowest-common denominator federal "Common Core Standards" on us.
Texas Parents Union via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Thank you!!!
hans5162@ix.netcom.com hans
If you want to test for college readiness, pay for every student to take the SAT. Get rid of Pearson and all of these other idiotic tests. My kids are learning how to take standardized tests. They should be learning other things like handwriting and phonics.
Jose Gomez
I am glad to read the comments made by Mr. Scott,- Texas Education Agency Commissioner. Finally someone who can deal with bureaucracy and who might be heard. Perhaps he will be the "Voice crying in the wilderness" when it comes to speaking to the Legislature on the upcoming session. I agree testing has its place, but it is not everything.
If we tally the amount of monies used to : (a) Develop the test. (b) Provide the written instructions on how to implement it,(c) the use of the equipment to score the test, (d) personnel, etc., the funds used for this project would be enough to upgrade our educational system.
This test, at the moment, has those involved "Perplexed" because they are not sure how to implement it, how it is going to affect each student's future. It appears that "If you pass the test, you graduate, if not, you do not". Is there a contingency plan for those student who do not pass or cannot pass this test? What is going to become of them. Will this test open the doors for more "School dropouts"? Like the commercial used in times past, "The mind is a terrible thing to waste"..
Lets channel our energy on a positive direction and make our educational system one that every Texan can be proud. Let your voice be heard, contact your congressman, or state representative and give him some ideas (feedback) of possible approaches to this dilema.
WUSRPH
Is Scott's term running out soon? If not, it may be "shortened" by his old buddy Gov. Rick.
Chris Jonsson
Sounds to me like Scott finally came to his senses. How about listening to another opinion people? How about asking teachers what they think about testing and their shrinking budgets and lack of respect from politicians? Teachers have a thankless job with unreasonable expectations.
Chris Jonsson
The people who sell the tests are the main beneficiaries of school testing. Everyone else looses, especially the students.
David Petterson
Linking student grades (15%) to their results on STAAR is an idea whose time has come - and from Texas, no less, a state yet to determine whether they teach science or religion.
Talk about adding relevance to the state test. Talk about muffling the state teacher union. Talk about finally adding some credibility to a state education system which is perceived by the rest of the country as a joke. It's about time.
Comlicitness of Texas schools has been an oxymoron under governors like Bush and Perry. They've sentenced Texas schools in their own direction, right or wrong. Commissioner Scott should embrace this "reform" instead of bowing to the whims of the state teacher union.
well informed
Let me share this-My average teen passed his TAKS test and bombed his PSAT. What do we do now? How are we going to make up for what ge lacks with so little time left? At least I know the PSAT is a better measurement and will look to that from now on to gauge my children's knowledge. We need a national curriculum and national standards.