- “One reason for the teacher frustration is that the state’s [Virginia] math gurus have de-emphasized memorization of ‘conceptual thinking.’ The same philosophy has crept into English classes, where ‘creativity’ has been elevated over knowledge of grammar and into history classes where knowing historical trends–the big picture–has replaced knowing dates of important events. The result is seniors who are incapable of multiplication, but are also unable to identify the verb in a sentence or come within 100 years of placing the Civil War.” ~ Patrick Walsh, USA Tday
- “If the required [standardized] tests cover wheat is a state-approved curricula, students are learning what states and school districts intended them to learn, so I just don’t buy that ‘teaching to the test.'” ~ Laura Bush, former First Lady
- “We’re already at risk of turning U.S. schools into test-prepping skill factories where nothing matters except exam scores on basic subjects. That’s not what America needs nor is it a sufficient conception of educational accountability.” ~ Charles E. Finn, Jr. & Diane Ravitch, education historian
- “The real gender gap is not in ability but motivation–not in what girls and boys can do, but in what girls and boys want to do: specifically in what they want to learn and how they want to learn it.” ~ Leonard Sax, Why Gender Matters
- “More than 490 years of social science research shows that the socioeconomic composition of a child’s school has an effect on academic performance over and above that of the socioeconomic status of the child’s family.” ~ Angel Ciolfi, Esq., Just Children Program
