** “Inexperience with technology might frustrate many students taking the computerized Common Core assessments. As I recently realized after debriefing with hundreds of students who had participated in pilots of computerized assessment items, even many digital natives aren’t versed in the skills needed to take online tests, such as moving a cursor, dragging text, or even keyboarding.” ~ Kristine Gullem, education consultant
** “No, tests are not fun–but they’re necessary. Stepping on the bathroom scale can be nerve-racking, but it tells us if that exercise routine is working. Going to the dentist for a checkup every six months might be unpleasant, but it lets us know if there are cavities to address. In education, tests provide an objective measurement of how students are progressing–information that’s critical to improving public schools.” ~ Michelle Rhee, founder Students First & former D.C. schools chancellor
** “When Americans hear accurate, straightforward information about Common Core standards, they overwhelmingly support them because they recognize higher standards are an important part of helping kids succeed in college and in their careers.” ~ Karen Nussie, executive director, Collaborative for Student Success
** “More than just a buzzword among savvy educators, formative assessment is the ongoing process of collecting data on what students know or don’t know, and changing instruction accordingly. The idea is that with a clear vision of the progress each student is making, teachers can adjust their lesson plans and provide necessary interventions to improve individual achievement.” ~ Liana Heitin, Education Week
** “American schools have long focused on remediation with the goal of ensuring that all students reach basic proficiency. But just as struggling children deserve resources to help them catch up, advanced learners also deserve differentiated programming if they are to grow.” ~ Scott J. Peters, et al, University of Wisconsin
** “Two of the chief weaknesses of our current school system are its one-size-fits-all design and the fact that schools account for an average of less then 20 percent of a child’s waking hours during his or her years of school attendance. How could a system receiving children with such widely different assets and deficits–and such continuous advantages and disadvantages in the educational opportunities and obstacles presented in their personal, out-of-school lives–serve them all in the same way (same curriculum, instruction, and length of learning time) and expect similar results? If 80 percent of children’s lives are lived outside of school, and some of those children receive constant educational stimulation and enrichment in those non-school hours while others get little or none, how can a 20 percent schooling solution make up for these vast differences in opportunity?” ~Paul Reville, Harvard Graduate School