High stakes testing's got to go!

Written by: John Perry on Jun 22, 2006 10:51 PM EDT

Does it bother you that no matter what a third grader does all year long, he or she can be retained in third grade based on ONE test score? Does is bother you that even if a high school senior completes every requirement for a diploma, but doesn't pass part of the FCAT, they will be denied that diploma?

Does it bother you that all across Florida, the curriculum is being narrowed to focus on FCAT? That real learning is being replaced by FCAT practice? That in schools serving the lower end of the socio-economic scale, students and teachers are unjustly labeled as failing? That schools serving the higher end of the socio-economic scale get bonuses for their good grades?

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the ill effects of the high stakes FCAT. Yes, we all took standardized tests, but none of them had the entire weight of Jeb Bush's A+ Plan and George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind placed on them. That's why many parents, teachers, students, and other concerned citizens of Florida have joined together to fight for a better way.

We're called the Florida Coalition for Assessment Reform. We're a grassroots not-for-profit that provides resources and assistance to parents, teachers, students, and other citizens who support constructive assessment. I'm the webmaster for our site- http://www.fcarweb.org/. If you're outraged by what the Bushes are doing to our public schools, join us- it's free!

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Location: FL