The coming increase in testing

The coming increase in testing

Sent to the Times Union (Albany NY), August 18

According to a recent poll, 61% of parents think that the number of standardized tests their child has to take is appropriate ("Poll: Parents support standardized tests for students," August 18).

I wonder how parents would react if they knew that the common core plans to increase the current amount of testing more than 20-fold? 

In addition to end-of-year tests in language arts and math, we will soon be testing children in all subjects, and will be adding "interim" tests, to be given during the academic year. There is also discussion of pre-tests to be given in the fall. 

Currently, our students are tested in grades three through eight and once in high-school. But we will soon be testing in all grades, K to 12,  and there are plans to "pre-screen" children before they enter kindergarten. 

There will be more testing than we have ever seen on this planet. And there is no evidence at all that this increase will improve academic achievement.

I have documented this astonishing increase in testing from documents available at the US Department of Education. Please see: "How much testing?" available at two places: http://dianeravitch.net/2012/07/25/stephen- krashen-how-much-testing/
and http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/

Stephen Krashen