Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Standardized Testing (HBO)

American students face a ridiculous amount of testing. John Oliver explains how standardized tests impact school funding, the achievement gap, how often kids are expected to throw up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6lyURyVz7k

Free Showing of STANDARDIZED on April 14

On Tuesday, April 14, MERIT has organized a free screening of the documentary STANDARDIZED in Kutztown University's Boehm Science Center, Room 145 at 6:00 PM. A film by Dan Hornberg and Jim Del Conte, STANDARDIZED: Lies, Money & Civil Rights: How Testing Is Ruining Public Education sheds light on the general public's misguided perception that standardized tests are useful tools in education. The film reveals that these tests first and foremost make a great deal of money for the test manufacturers (and education reformers), and provide practically no insight into student ability. STANDARDIZED clarifies just how much profit is generated by the tests and their supporting materials. Strong testimonials by educational experts show that the only people benefiting from the tests are those creating them. The concluding segment provides options to improve schools without testing. The viewing of the documentary will be followed by a question and answer session with filmmaker Dan Hornberger. The event is free and open to the public.

Community Group Forms to Urge Schools to Highlight Experiences, Not Assessments, in Education

Kutztown Area School District's state standardized tests for grades 3-8, the PSSAs, are scheduled to begin on Monday, April 13. A community organization has formed to share concerns about the negative impact standardized testing has on our educational system. MERIT (Maximize Experiences, Reduce Inordinate Testing) is a group of concerned citizens who seek to move the Kutztown Area School District toward broadening and diversifying means of assessing student learning in ways that do not penalize teachers or inhibit their ability to teach. We are working to encourage the district to minimize the time, money, and other resources spent on preparing and taking forms of standardized assessment (including but not limited to PSSAs, Study Island, Imagine Learning, and CDTs) that do not support and enhance students’ learning experiences.