Title: What's so bad about teaching to the test? | Parenting
Headings: What’s so bad about teaching to the test?
What’s so bad about teaching to the test?
Is teaching to the test bad?
No Child Left Behind puts testing on the front burner
It’s all about alignment
Some test-taking skills are important to learn
Tests can be used as diagnostic tools
Focus on the tests brings attention to state standards
When there isn’t alignment, there are problems
Where does teaching critical thinking fit in?
Is there too much emphasis on the tests?
High stakes mean high risks
Tests are here to stay
Questions to ask at your school

Content: No Child Left Behind puts testing on the front burner
The federal No Child Left Behind law (NCLB), which went into effect in 2002, has caused schools to “be accountable,” which translates into focusing a lot of attention on state standardized testing and results. It requires all schools to test students in grades 2-12 in reading, math and science. Each state chooses its own test and standards of proficiency. Schools that don’t show that students are making “adequate yearly progress” toward achieving proficiency are subject to federal sanctions, including loss of federal funds, providing free tutoring, allowing students to transfer to another school, and if all else fails, a complete restructuring of the school. Advertisement
Critics of the law say that the emphasis on testing in reading and math means other subjects, such as social studies and the arts, are getting less attention. Some schools have even done away with or cut back on recess time because of the pressure to spend more school time preparing students to pass state tests. On the positive side, students across the country (particularly in the lower grades) have made progress in basic skills in reading and math, but studies show that the improvements don’t necessarily hold up in middle school and beyond, when the tests get more complex and critical thinking skills are necessary. Advertisement
It’s all about alignment
In the wake of NCLB, there is much talk about aligning instruction, curriculum, standards and assessment. This basically means that teachers and students have a clear idea of what they are expected to learn. In the best of all possible worlds, the state provides textbooks and curriculum that match the standards, and the tests measure achievement of the standards.