We participate in a group dedicated to detecting and reporting education disinformation (EDDRA2) and link to FairTest, the National Center for Fair and Open Testing. Each of these sources provide us with links to current information on national education policy. Here is the latest on what citizens actually believe about the public schools, not the spin that we usually read in the media where we are led to the conclusion that the schools stink and must be “reformed” to save them.
The 2010 installment of the annual Phi Delta Kappan/Gallup survey of Americans shows widespread and growing public opposition to the primary tenets of the Administration’s education agenda. Barely one in five respondents said that “No Child Left Behind” is helping schools in their communities. In addition, a majority opposes closing or restructuring schools with low test scores, instead favoring “Keep the school open with existing teachers and principal and provide comprehensive outside support.”
Once again this new data shows that support for the test-and-punish “status quo” is largely confined to the inside-the-Beltway think tank crowd, a handful of mega-funders (e.g. Gates and Broad), and the politicians who are in their thrall. Grassroots activists should use the PDK/Gallup data to press their U.S. Senators and Representatives to overhaul federal education policy during the current Congressional recess which continues until mid-September.
The PDK/Gallup poll data and analysis are available free online at http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/poll.htm
Bob Schaeffer, Public Education Director
FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing
ph- (239) 395-6773 fax- (239) 395-6779
cell- (239) 699-0468
web- http://www.fairtest.org
Monty Neill, Ed.D.; Interim Executive Director, FairTest; 15 Court Sq., Ste. 820; Boston, MA 02108; 857-350-8207 x 101; fax 857-350-8209; monty@fairtest.org; http://www.fairtest.org; Donate to FairTest: https://secure.entango.com/donate/MnrXjT8MQqk
The Kennewick School Board has adopted the testing focus now being questioned by many thoughtful educators. It is time for our community to consider the value and effectiveness of this methodology. Is it working? Are Kennewick students learning better as a result? Are Kennewick teachers better informed about the needs of students? Is it time to change this practice? From now until the next school board election I will explore these issues.