WASL - PI burning questions

["Arthur Hu" <arthurhu@comcast.net>]

March 27, 2004



Horsey's Burning Question

Do you think the WASL and the No Child Left Behind Act are the answer to our
educational problems?

Here's the problem: America's schools are sending into the world too many
graduates who cannot read or write well and who do not know some of the
basic knowledge needed to make them good workers and good citizens.


We may well be graduating too many students with poor writing and
math skills But the mission of public education is to
provide a free education age and ability appropriate education to
all.
Tests can identify those who meet the latest
standards, but it is foolish to expect that any amount of retesting or
teaching to "standards"
is going to raise a writer at 5th grade level to that of a college prep
student with a 1000 SAT. That's about what it takes to pass the
unrealistic and poorly constructed WASL test. It's great to set high
standards, but it  is punitive insanity to
require college level skills just to graduate from high school.

Arthur Hu
12422 107th pl ne
Kirkland WA 98034
425-814-2183