If students have been victims of mediocre and poor schools, passing the test will prove exceptionally difficult. A variety of problems plague these troubled schools. Academics are hindered by problems with discipline and absenteeism. Students cannot learn with disruptions during the school day and when they are not in school. Furthermore, teachers are unable to teach consistent and sequenced lessons when they have to battle with behavior problems and lack of continuity when students are not there. Teachers become frustrated quickly and seek employment at middle and upper class schools. Consequently, the poorer schools frequently have new and inexperienced teachers and rapid teacher turnover.
Poorer schools also lack adequate funding for basic items like textbooks, computers, and classroom furniture. Study after study has shown that students must have an appropriate atmosphere in which to learn. It would seem that additional funding would help the situation. To their credit, the state recognized that last year and allocated an additional $20 million to schools for remedial aid. Unfortunately, Judge Freedman recognized in his ruling that the "funds were insufficient and arbitrarily distributed" (cbsnews).
Throwing money at the problem seems to be the state's solution. The government plans to increase school funding by $30 million for next year (cbsnews). An increase will certainly help struggling districts. However, the districts are not going to be magically fixed overnight. First, the money will have to be distributed...
standardized achievement tests and diagnostic tests. Standardized tests are usually administered after the material has been taught, and they are used to determine whether or not the class has successfully met the district and state standards. The tests are administered under strict conditions and the tests are scored by machine rather than by hand. These tests are used to evaluate students as groups rather than individuals, and they show the
These are the students who are suffering from sort of problem; it may be a cognitive disorder, a memory problem, a writing problem, or some sort of physical problem that does not allow him to cope with the burden of the educational system without special help and instruction, or anything else. The proponents of the exit exams also state that unless students are held to certain high standards, it
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