Kill the Messenger: The War on Standardized Testing

If standardized testing is such a valuable tool for school improvement, why do so many educators oppose it? The key difference is one of perspective.  Parents, policymakers, and the consuming public view public education as a human development resource. Their top priority is literacy, numeracy, and the other educational outcomes that prepare youth to be productive members of adult society. Educators want these same outcomes but consider a broad range of other objectives to be of equal or … Read More

Tests, Testing, and Genuine School Reform

posted in: Recommended Reading and Viewing |

In this 2011 book, one of America’s foremost scholars on what works in education discusses the proper role of testing in educational improvement, covering well-established principles of testing, current problems, and promising evidence-based solutions. Click here for more on the book or to order a copy. 

Other Recommended Reading

Selections that we’ve highlighted over the years. Is Teaching to the Test a Problem? It Depends… Richard Phelps, author of the classic Kill the Messenger:  The War on Standardized Testing, has written an article featured in the Autumn 2011 issue of the Wilson Quarterly. Among other things, he notes that “most of the problems with testing have one surprising source: cheating by school administrators and teachers.” Click here for more.   Test, Testing, and Genuine School Reform In this 2011 book, … Read More

Cherry Davidson: Recipe for Success

Donelson Elementary The recipe for success at Donelson Elementary is very simple: We have the right teachers in the right classrooms. As the principal of the school, I set the tone for the school and am responsible for ensuring that quality teachers are in place.  First, I have to hire the best teachers who meet the Donelson standards. “Donelson quality” teachers care about children, are strong with instruction, know how to disaggregate data, and use that data to … Read More

Danon Hooper: Recipe for Success

Lakeview Elementary The entire staff of Lakeview School is extremely proud and honored to be recognized by the Education Consumers Foundation for our Value Added gains. Lakeview School is a rural community Pre-8 school.  This year we have 358 students of which 49.1% are Economically Disadvantaged. The majority of our students are brought to school and taken home by their parents or other family members each day. Only about 1/3 of our students ride one of our two … Read More

Debbie Edens: Recipe for Success

East Middle School At East Middle School, administrators, teachers, staff, and parents work together to create a student-friendly atmosphere that makes learning a great experience.   We believe in academic excellence and have identified academics as a priority.  Our teachers have a can-do spirit that keeps our students motivated and wanting to be successful in school. To ensure that all students have a high quality education, we expose them to many programs in the school that focus on individual … Read More

Renee Bernard: Recipe for Success

McPheeter’s Bend Elementary There are many factors that contribute to the success of McPheeter’s Bend Elementary. We have had excellent Value-Added scores for many years, but still strive to achieve more. I strongly believe Todd Whitaker’s stance that it is “People not Programs” that is the core of our success. The faculty and staff of McPheeter’s Bend Elementary School work together as a team to improve student achievement.   Every day begins with a 120 minute reading/literacy block. During … Read More

ECF Cost Calculator Testimonials

The ECF Cost Calculator: Praise from Educators and Researchers Everyone agrees that good teachers are important to learning; but when you see the dollar amounts brought to light by the Education Consumers Foundation’s online calculator, you begin to appreciate their true economic worth. There are differences of thousands per student and millions per school in the tax burden created by effective and ineffective teachers in the early elementary grades.  Third grade reading skills predict dropouts and minimally qualified … Read More

Zuckerberg’s Folly? Not Really

posted in: Briefings & Reports, Research, Analysis, & Opinion for Reform-minded Consumers |

The popular view is that the Newark reforms failed.  The New Jersey Department of Education data says otherwise.  Charter schools excelled and the projected reduction in dropouts and unprepared graduates district-wide will benefit taxpayers for years to come. June 17, 2014 – Print School districts and their boards often face seemingly insurmountable opposition to changes that would beneficial to students. Changes that would be upsetting to the established bureaucratic and institutional order are especially challenging, yet there are examples … Read More

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