CB> CB> Great--but then the scores your students are 
CB> CB> achieving are not due to 
CB> CB> the 
CB> CB> test being there, they are due to the education 
CB> CB> they have received, 
CB> CB> no?
CB> 
CB>  MS>     Maybe not.
CB>  MS>     Kids wanting to "make the team" in sports are 
CB>  MS> motivated to prepare by the knowledge that failure 
CB>  MS> to meet standards means no football uniform.  Is 
CB>  MS> it really any different for the kid wanting to go 
CB>  MS> to college who knows that not passing the North 
CB>  MS> Carolina competency test means no HS degree?
CB> 
CB> Matt, the education they receive gives them the ability to pass a 
CB> test, the
CB> test adds no quality to the process
    The competency test adds quality to the process in two ways:
        1) If too many kids fail it, their will be political pressure
            from parents to improve the process.  (Failure rates are
            published.)
        2) Kids wanting to get into college, or even get all but the 
            worst jobs, get motivation to cooperate with the process.
    BTW, North Carolina also has "end of year" state tests in varied 
subjects.  They improve the process because the state knows if a school 
district is doing much worse than average.  (North Carolina has just passed a 
law allowing for state takeover of underperforming schools.)
--- Simplex BBS (v1.07.00Beta [DOS])
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