Should everyone use same textbooks and tests?
Should everyone use same textbooks and tests?
Governors and education leaders proposed sweeping new school standards that could lead to students across the country using the same math and English textbooks and taking the same tests. But two states — Texas and Alaska — have already refused to join the project, and everyone from state legislatures to the nation's 10,000 local school boards and 3 million teachers could chime in with their opinions.
"Texas has chosen to preserve its sovereign authority to determine what is appropriate for Texas children to learn in its public schools," Robert Scott, Texas' commissioner of education, wrote in a letter to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. "It is clear that the first step toward nationalization of our schools has been put into place."
Already, the federal government has opened bidding for $350 million to work on new national tests that would be given to students in states that adopt the national standards.
But some critics worry the federal government, which is enthusiastically watching the project but not directing it, will force them to adopt the results.
A look at the math standards reveals the changes are not dramatic. Kids would still learn to count in kindergarten, not multiply and divide.
But each grade will have fewer goals in each subject area, and the goals are written plainly with little or no educational jargon.
Also, some learning goals may start to show up earlier than expected.
For example, second-graders will be expected to add and subtract triple digit numbers. Fractions will start in third grade. Kindergartners will be expected to learn to count to 100.
Cathy Seeley, senior fellow at the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas, has been involved in the revision of math standards in more than a dozen states. She saw a lot of similarity between the recent state revisions and the national plan.
Seeley said she didn't think making kids learn things earlier translated into higher standards.
"It's not that they're learning it well but too late. It's that they're not learning it well," Seeley said.
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- Posted on March 11, 2010
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I think everyone should have same textbook and tests. If all the states are provide same textbooks and standards, then transfer will not be a problem to students anymore. They don’t need to worry their GPA will be lower than their previous school and the classes they took are different compare to other schools. Same textbooks and tests will be providing a fair opportunity to all the students.Governors and education say to everyone to use the same Texas books but Texas and Alaska say they do not like the idea that everyone has the same TeXes books. Well, if the whole country uses the same textbooks then there will be people that will put the tests on the Internet so that other people can get the answers. Because schools in places like North Carolina get out of school a week before Virginia, they would take the tests a week before us. But if you ask me, it's a good idea.I think a majority of higher standard states would agree that the rest of the USA should catch up. Too many students who travel across the country because of their own reason will completely ruin their transcripts and what they know on their subjects. i have had friends come from other states to California (which i believe is in the top 5 of standards for schools) and their gpa's go downhill completely.
I think everyone should have same textbook and tests. If all the states are provide same textbooks and standards, then transfer will not be a problem to students anymore. They don’t need to worry their GPA will be lower than their previous school and the classes they took are different compare to other schools. Same textbooks and tests will be providing a fair opportunity to all the students. Because some schools have easy test than other schools which it is unfair to students. With a same test, it’s easy to decide the fairness of the pass and fail. Students all have same textbooks and tests which no issues to argue about they get a hard test that cause them fail the tests.
I do think we all should have the same textbooks and test because now every ones test is graded in another state. So if we all have the same CSAPS or state test then it can graded in the same place and our tests wont accidentally get lost in mail. We should use the same textbooks because all the material in our books our all different and we should all be taught the same thing from the same textbook.
I think a majority of higher standard states would agree that the rest of the USA should catch up. Too many students who travel across the country because of their own reason will completely ruin their transcripts and what they know on their subjects. i have had friends come from other states to California (which i believe is in the top 5 of standards for schools) and their gpa's go downhill completely. Ruining any chance they had to attend college. With a nation wide standard, there will be no state falling behind.
I think people should not use the same text books because it will be very confuseing. It will be very hard for some students to stay on topic because the teacher is doing math and the other stundents are doing reading.
This article is about how Texas and Alaska standing out when the government wants everyone to learn the same thing. It might actually help education. Think about it: there are some people who are eager to learn curriculum at higher levels, and this might prevent them from being jealous of the people who could care less about learning taking up their classes.
Texas and Alaska just wants to stand out. I've also heard that Texas wants to teach history of Mexico because they were Spain's territory for such a long time. I really wonder what they are thinking!!
I think the USA should all have the same textbooks, it would standardize all of our education. I think children should all be taught at the same age.
Well, if the whole country uses the same textbooks then there will be people that will put the tests on the Internet so that other people can get the answers. Because schools in places like North Carolina get out of school a week before Virginia, they would take the tests a week before us. But if you ask me, it's a good idea.
Governors and education say to eveyone to use the same texes books but Texas and Alaska say they do not like the idea that eveyone has the same texes books.