Hence everything since is a reflection of the failing of the teachers’ unions… or something. 🙃🙄

Calculus is hard. Geometry was my nemesis

So, you 1) really have no idea what you’re talking about, 2) clearly seems to see unions as the source of the world’s problems, and 3) enjoy grossly oversimplifying complex issues to sound like an expert. Have fun. Keep grinding those axes. 👍

Sure:

Great.

Right. It’s a give and take. But it’s also not a painless/costless process. It is a burden on teachers and kids. And concerns about “teaching to the test” and throwing lots of longstanding positive educational concepts and practices out with the “bath water” is also not ideal.

Oh you’ve taken it?

After few years of implementation, a fairly large coalition - mostly stressed parents of stressed kids and teachers tired of the burdens of the annual process - pushed back on the “high stakes” component linking “passing” to graduation. But the exams are still given and used for assessment. 3/3

But the initial idea included using the tests not only as assessment, but also as a “high stakes” exam for graduation. IIRC, the NYS “Regents Exam” was an exemplar. But I don’t *think* that all students had to take it (it was more of an honors thing).2/3

So it was part of the larger ed reform movement in Massachusetts in the 90s. There was a view - totally fair - that if state and federal dollars were going into certain districts, there had to be “strings.” Standardized tests was one part of it. Professional development for teachers another. 1/2

The exams are still used for assessment but the 11th grade test as a “high stakes” threshold to graduate was seen as draconian (kids with good grades but doesn’t test well doesn’t graduate HS?). Then there’s the whole issue of teachers “teaching to the test.” It’s a tool. Not everything.

No, the Commonwealth instituted standardized testing (I think grades 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 and 11) for assessment, state & federal $$, and also *initially* for graduation. Kids had to pass the 11th grade exam to get a diploma. 1/2

Neither are they!

This person is misinformed. Getting rid of standardized tests *to graduate* from HS was seen as detrimental by parents, teachers, administrators, etc. They’re still used to assess student progress and achievement.

Demented gibberish

He’s a flaming douchebag! Embarrassment to the Commonwealth.

Megyn seems like such a big-hearted, kind, empathetic person. I just cannot believe this. 🙃