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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    Is High-Stakes Testing the Ruin of School Reform?

    In Atlanta, 35 teachers and administrators were indicted this week for conspiring to raise student scores on standardized tests. In El Paso, a former superintendent’s in prison for putting kids in the wrong grade, pushing them out of school or preventing them from enrolling—so that test scores would meet high standards of accountability.

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    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    In Atlanta, 35 teachers and administrators were indicted this week for conspiring to raise student scores on standardized tests. In El Paso, a former superintendent’s in prison for putting kids in the wrong grade, pushing them out of school or preventing them from enrolling—so that test scores would meet high standards of accountability. Texas spends more on standardized testing than any other state. It’s where George W. Bush got the idea for “No Child Left Behind,” which evolved into “Race to the Top” under Barack Obama.

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Are High-Stakes Tests Corrupting Public Education?
    1. 0:00This Month’s Jobs Report Disappoints on Several Levels
    2. 7:38Is High-Stakes Testing the Ruin of School Reform? You’re reading this
    3. 42:00It’s Final Four Weekend
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • KCRW placeholder

      Christian Bordal

      Managing Producer, Greater LA

    • KCRW placeholder

      Kerry Cavanaugh

      editorial writer at the Los Angeles Times

    • KCRW placeholder

      Katie Cooper

      Producer, 'One year Later'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Gayle Fallon

      Houston Federation of Teachers

    • KCRW placeholder

      Michael Petrilli

      Thomas Fordham Foundation

    • KCRW placeholder

      Deborah Sigman

      California Department of Education

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Are High-Stakes Tests Corrupting Public Education?
    1. 0:00This Month’s Jobs Report Disappoints on Several Levels
    2. 7:38Is High-Stakes Testing the Ruin of School Reform? You’re reading this
    3. 42:00It’s Final Four Weekend
    Back to To the Point