As a part of the “Pencils Down” campaign against high-stakes testing in schools, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU)
released a position report yesterday afternoon discussing the history and
advancement of the standardized testing movement, aiming to
provide evidence against its effectiveness.
The report, titled “Debunking the Myths of Standardized Testing,”
attempts to expose shortcomings in the high-stakes testing model. The
CTU claims standardized testing contributes to a growing achievement
gap, takes up valuable instruction time and negatively impacts student
learning.
“Overreliance on standardized tests has led to
reduced graduation rates among students of color, narrowed the
curriculum in all subjects and grade levels and ill prepared our
students for fulfilling the careers and civic engagement,” the report
reads. “The reforms of the accountability era are harmful policies that
lead to neither short-term successes nor long-term prosperity for
students.”
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Carrying signs and chanting about the need to save neighborhood schools, hundreds gathered at Armitage Baptist Church Monday night for a 