** “This entire accountability system that’s based on tests will crumble. It’s not a question of if. It’s a question of when.” ~ Dennis Van Roekel, president of NEA

** “I agree with the critics mostly. Testing is out of control, and the stress it causes students and teachers has absolutely no place in educational settings. Tying student test scores to teacher evaluations is both absurd and morally reprehensible. How can you hold someone accountable for something he or she did not do? Ms. Ravitch is on pretty firm ground, too: The Common Core’s drafting and implementation process did not include as many teachers as it should have, nor was it pursued in a transparent way that encouraged open discussion and reflection on the implications of adoption.” ~ Dave Powell, Gettysburg College

** “We need a secretary of education who walks our walk, and fights our fight for the tools and resources we need to help children. And we are deeply disappointed that this Department of Eduction has not lived up to that standard.” ~ Randi Weingarten, president, AFT

** “Education is in something of a Catch-22. If they have standards, there will be dropouts among people who don’t want to do the work to reach the minimum levels. If they don’t have standards, they are just an assembly line and that is bad for teacher morale. Because who is going to get blamed if students don’t succeed? Teachers.” ~ News Staff, science20.com