While digging a shallow grave, Robert bestowed upon us this wisdom...
 -=> On 01-30-98  16:29, Michael Mcsorley did testify and affirm <=-
 -=> to All concerning useless test? <=-
  
 DH> In Mississippi high school juniors are required to take a
 DH> functional literacy exam(FLE). This examination tests the
 DH> kids ability to function on an eighth grade level. Problem
 DH> is, about 25% of the kids fail the test, and schools have
 DH> started giving FLE prep classes! 
 
 MM> Does anyone have any ideas as to how we can test our
 MM> schools without this kind of nonsense?!! 
 RC> The tests or the prep classes? I think that tests showing
 RC> the student's (and the school's) ranking in comparison with
 RC> other students and schools are quite valuable. 
 
I meant the prep classes...
 
 MM> Prep classes for standardized tests completely defeat the
 MM> purpose! 
 RC> Not only that - they are unethical and constitute
 RC> malfeasance on the part of the administrators and teachers
 RC> who create them.
 
Precisely my point.
 
 MM> The prep class that should have prepared these students for
 MM> the test is called EIGHTH GRADE! Why are these kids almost
 MM> done with high school?
 RC> That only goes to show the power of the educrats and their
 RC> union - they couldn't stop student testing, but they could
 RC> make it essentially irrelevant.
Business as usual, I'm afraid...
 RC> How 'bout we base medical licensure boards on the
 RC> baccalaureate studies rather than medical school? That's
 RC> only 4 years difference.
 
I'm not familiar with the medical profession or schooling of same.
 MM> AUGH! And people are screaming for COMPUTERS! Kids should
 MM> learn how to friggin' READ FIRST!!!!!! 
 RC> Well, that's the key to the educrat's defense. If you
 RC> continually change the rules and the techniques, you can
 RC> never be blamed for a poor outcome - you just point at the
 RC> changes and blame disruptive, untried techniques.
Again, business as usual... At the expense of our kids' education. No real
relief in sight. I've got a kid that'll be four in May. I hope we can iron
some things out by the time he goes to school. Hopefully I'll be 
ndependently
wealthy by then...
... economic freedom is necessary for the achievement of political freedom
--- GEcho 1.11+
---------------