the absurdity of it all.

High Stakes Testing has been touted as a panacea that would bring accountability to teaching and substantially boost performance by students. “Measurement” as President Bush puts it “is the gateway to success.”

Yet, since the 1970s when states first started entertaining the idea of standardized testing….the gates to successful learning have not magically swung open. Repeatedly, it has been proven that a central focus on standardized testing neither improves nor proves knowledge retained. There are too many variables to create a one size fits all test.

No Child Left Behind requires the states “to make progress towards student proficiency in math and reading.” Sounds good. right?….yet there is no guiding standard to testing proficiency. It is left to the state to define proficiency and to create the tests that determine sufficient progress.

Louisiana next year, will take testing absurdity to a new level. Each student will be required to take an “exit test” to pass a specific subject. For example

….Ms. Vona has been teaching you English IV all semester. At the end of the semester, you have a C in her class. You’ve passed her class. But, you have not passed the subject. You still have to take and pass the state designed English IV test. If you do not pass this state standardized test, you have to retake the class….

Reality Check: At the beginning of the 2008-2009 year, Louisiana will have THE highest standards for testing students. Currently Louisiana is ranked 35 for drop out rates with 69% of students not graduating…Are we setting our kids up for even more failure…or are we to now teach the “exit test” and not the students?