| "Although classroom innovations are important, educational success is defined by broader factors outside of the school's control--especially poverty. According to Diane Ravitch, "poverty is the single greatest determinant of low test scores." However, the standard package of reforms that is pushed by Gates and others, lacks any practical understanding of what it means to teach the 45 per cent of American children who come from struggling families, including the 16 million who live in abject poverty."The implication of 'school choice' programs is that good choices by 'consumers' lead to good results, and poor choices lead to poor results. But recasting poverty as a choice is not only misguided but damaging to the fabric of democracy. High-stakes standardized testing also creates a marketplace of shoddy comparisons--a marketplace that regards all variation as weakness. |
Read the rest of the story HERE:
At dianeravitch.net
At dianeravitch.net
