As a teacher, I find it encouraging that Congress is revisiting the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Since 2002, when the law was renamed No Child Left Behind, student learning has taken a back seat to testing. For the sake of the students who are our future, that has got to change!
Congress should restore the approach known as “grade-span” testing: once in elementary, once in middle and once in high school. Administering fewer tests would allow me to spend more one-on-one time with my students, especially those most in need of extra help. It would also free up financial and other resources.
Instead of standardized tests, the focus should be teacher-developed assessments. Based on input from classroom educators, states and school districts should have flexibility to determine what kinds of tests to use. Tests that are redundant or not useful should be eliminated.
Jane Seidenberg
special education teacher
Portland
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