The Texas senate has passed a bill that would reduce the number of tests that a student would have to take to graduate high school from 15 to 5.
Good!
I don’t know how this would affect the lower grades but I do know that we are spending too much time preparing for and taking tests. Teachers that I know are virtual slaves to the testing regimen to the extent that they teach to the test, not to the subject.
In my time we took standardized tests, both the Iowa and California ones. The results reflected on us as students. The results reflected on our parents. Poor results brought the parents to the schools to find out what was wrong. Was the child incapable? Was the child not diligent? Was the teacher not doing the proper job?
The families got involved and did not leave it up to our state government to see that the student progressed.
Now unfortunately we seem to have a nanny state where our government is acting to replace parenting.
Let the free market handle this. A poorly educated student yields a low paid employee. Parents used to recognize this. Students were told this over and over.
Give the students a helping hand, not a push.
Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty
Cato
elpasospeak 
I remember taking those standardized Iowa tests, and they were tough. Our teachers taught all subjects to learn subject matter, and not to just pass those standardized exams. Every evening we had a minimum of 2 hours of homework, reading, etc. My parents were very actively involved in our education process. We couldn’t watch any TV until our homework was completed. Yes, it was a pain in the butt to have my parents so actively involved in the process, but it paid off handsomely when I went to college.
My friends who are local teachers have continually complained about their students’ parents being absent in the education process. A lot of parents could care less if they do homework, and many of the parents are defensive of their child when they get in trouble and need discipline.
Yes, our parents must be actively involved in our kids’ education and disciplinary processes. I feel the erosion of the family unit is at the heart of our nation’s downfall in the international community. We have to get our parents active in our kids lives and not leave it up to school officials. Our teachers need our help!
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Well said desertratjim!
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Agree 100%.
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