2013 December School Reform News

National Tests Undermine Accountability

The December issue of School Reform News reports the U.S. Department of Education has said states can drop their own student achievement tests in favor of piloting national Common Core tests in spring 2014. This means a potential loss of three years of information on student achievement, because the old state tests aren’t comparable to the pilot tests, and the pilot tests won’t be comparable to the new Common Core tests.

Also in this issue:

At least 600 Louisiana schoolchildren, and possibly 1,300 more, may be returned to failing public schools from better ones if a motion by the U.S. Department of Justice is successful.

Families have filed a lawsuit against Kansas for adopting national science standards, arguing the standards constitute religious indoctrination.

A new study reveals why charter schools enroll fewer disabled students: Fewer seek charters, and charters label less.

California’s teachers union is stalling the removal of teachers charged with abusing students.

Five German children taken from their parents for homeschooling have been returned home--provided they attend government schools.

A study finds most states employ entirely useless measures in rating preschools.

Common Core resembles the National Security Agency’s citizen surveillance programs.

 

The full text of the issue is available online in Adobe Acrobat’s PDF format: December 2013 School Reform News.

All issues of School Reform News are archived here: School Reform News archive.