Jonathan Kozol, renowned author of Death At An Early Age and other books critical of the public school system, has resurfaced to give his opinion about the rise in standardized testing:
Lately, he's been aiming both barrels at the national obsession with standardized testing, a cornerstone in the Leave No Child Behind legislation, designed to measure school and student performance. He says setting and enforcing academic standards without first expending resources to educate disadvantaged youngsters hurts more than it helps...
The tests aren't supposed to discourage students, but they do, he says. The tests aren't supposed to dissuade dedicated and idealistic teachers from serving in inner-city schools, but that's happening. Principals aren't supposed to be drill sergeants, standing with stopwatches ready as classes prepare for tests with sample questions and test-based curricula, but that's happening too, he says...
One school Mr. Kozol visits often in the South Bronx is different, he says. There the principal, a Hispanic woman, refuses to be intimidated by the tests and won't restrict the school's curricula. Ironically, her students score high on the tests.
I think Mr. Kozol's view is balanced and completely understandable. It is a bad idea to implement tests without first implementing the educational reforms - the tests are supposed to measure the quality of the reforms, not improve education and of themselves. The students shouldn't be afraid of the tests, and the curriculum shouldn't be restricted solely to the material on the tests.