FairTest Responds to Bush "Ed. Reform" Plan

[Bob Schaeffer <bobschaeffer@EARTHLINK.NET>]

                                for information contact:
                                Monty Neill    (617) 864-4810
                                Bob Schaeffer  (941) 395-6773

       for immediate release, Tuesday, January 23, 2000
BUSH EDUCATION PLAN CALLED "FEDERALLY-MANDATED TEST-SCORE ABUSE";
     FAIRTEST TO ORGANIZE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO STOP PROPOSAL
IN CONGRESS, JUST AS PREVIOUS BUSH, CLINTON SCHEMES WERE DEFEATED

    President George W. Bush's plan to require states to test all
students in grades three to eight each year amounts to "federally
mandated, test-score abuse, which will hurt -- not help -- poor
children," according to a group which played a leading role in
successful campaigns against national testing proposals made the two
previous administrations.
    "The new President's proposal to impose annual tests on public
schools is an unnecessary and harmful intrusion in the process of
education reform," said Dr. Monty Neill, Executive Director of the
National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest). "There is no clear
need to require all states -- no matter how strong or weak their
education systems -- to follow a one-size fits all model in order to
receive federal funds. We believe the Bush proposal is just the first
step toward the federal government mandating the use of tests for
graduation and grade promotion."
    "The Bush Administration believes the U.S. can test its way to
better schools," Dr. Neill continued. "That approach has not succeeded
in states which have done the most testing and attached the highest
consequences to tests. Most state testing programs fail to measure high
learning standards and do not meet the assessment profession's own
standards for multiple measures. They therefore undermine efforts to
attain high quality and equity for all students. A federal mandate to
test every child every year will particularly harm education for
low-income and minority group students."
    FairTest has begun mobilizing a coalition to oppose the Bush testing
plan. "We initiated the coalition which stopped President George H.W.
Bush's plan for a national test and helped stop the Clinton proposal for
national testing," Dr. Neill explained. "George W. Bush's scheme
deserves the same fate."
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