Why the Opt-Out Movement Is Crucial for the Future of Public Education

By Diane Ravitch Jul 11, 2016 Communities have seen their schools labeled “failing,” based on standardized test scores, and taken over by the state or national corporate charter chains. The most powerful tool that parents have to stop this madness is to refuse to allow their children to take the tests. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

Obama’s New Education Secretary Moves to Protect Standardized Testing

Staff / Truthdig Jun 20, 2016 Far from dispensing with the controversial, high-stakes practice, John King intends to defend it “by blackmail if necessary,” writes Marilena Marchetti at Socialist Worker. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

‘This is a Movement, Not a Moment’

Sonali Kolhatkar / Truthdig Jul 23, 2015 Black Lives Matter changed the life of one young activist. Now, despite being hit with numerous criminal charges for her activism, she refuses to back down on her organizing. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

VIDEO: John Oliver: How Standardized Tests Enrich Companies, Sicken Students and Get Teachers Fired

Natasha Hakimi Zapata / Truthdig May 4, 2015 The "Last Week Tonight" host dedicated the longest section of his HBO show Sunday to discussing the one thing teachers, students and parents all despise: standardized testing. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Test Mutiny: Tens of Thousands of N.Y. Parents Protest Standardized Exams

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Apr 17, 2015 Tens of thousands of parents took a stand against the education agenda of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and standardized tests nationwide by having their children boycott one such exam in mid-April. In some districts, abstention levels reached 80 percent. (Pictured: Jack Bierwirth, the superintendent of Herricks Public Schools in Long Island.) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Standardized Testing

Clay Bennett / Truthdig Feb 10, 2015 Dig deeper

SATs

Signe Wilkinson / Truthdig Mar 8, 2014 Dig deeper

Common Core

Bob Englehart, Cagle Cartoons, The Hartford Courant Feb 16, 2014 Dig deeper

Back to School

Adam Zyglis, Cagle Cartoons, The Buffalo News Sep 5, 2013 Dig deeper

Common Core

Adam Zyglis, Cagle Cartoons, The Buffalo News Aug 11, 2013 Dig deeper

SOS

Clay Bennett / Truthdig Aug 8, 2013 Dig deeper

Income Inequality Goes to School

Bill Boyarsky / Truthdig Feb 24, 2012 Countering the efforts of educational reformers -- including President Obama and his Race to the Top crew -- to blame teachers for student failures, researchers are finding that the growing gap between the affluent and the poor is the real villain.The harm done by an economic system increasingly tilted toward the rich is much more than a pocketbook issue. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )