We have something like that- the SBAC (every 11th grade student takes it on the computer)- and we used to have the STAR, which every student took- but they're revamping this to fit the CORE. So we have standards, they just aren't being tested at every grade yet. They will be, though.
What makes California schools great is the neighborhood. Where you have driven, wealthy parents, you have great schools. Where you don't, you don't. But I assume everywhere is like that. The suburbs have amazing schools, for the most part. I have worked with credit recovery classes at my school, using computers, and they completely and totally suck. If there are good educational programs out there, I've not seen them. A bright, driven child can learn from anything- even a sucky computer program- but the really problematic children (the ones who bring down the scores, and who are a problem for society) can't be reached that way.
On top of that, people don't have the retention using a computer that they have mechanically moving a pencil or pen. There's a body memory problem using technology- I'm sure you've seen the research. Perhaps that's fixable, or perhaps society will self destruct and it won't matter.
I hate standards, myself, because they limit me. I teach a lot more than I'm supposed to- and right now I have complete freedom to flip things around, and change out texts- but no one bothers me because my students read double the number of books any other class does, and they have an excellent college placement rate at the best schools :-) Standards are really for the poor or mediocre teachers, who aren't doing their jobs. They limit the teachers at the high end, unfortunately. But maybe that's necessary. I don't know. Maybe I'll retire when they get too onerous, because I know I'll be bored by them. |
