There has been a lot of research recently, clearly conveying what teachers have been saying about the effects of high-stakes testing on children—about the problems associated with our country’s focus on testing, not teaching.
Now a new poll shows that parents want to end high-stakes testing across the country. The 2014 PDK/Gallup Annual Survey on the Public’s Attitude Toward Public Schools, released on today, finds that an overwhelming majority of parents (68 percent) do not believe that standardized tests help teachers know what to teach.
The parents agree with educators that we need to sharply reduce the amount of student and instructional time consumed by tests.
The study also finds that more parents oppose using student standardized test scores to evaluate teachers. Opposition to this policy has grown from 47 percent in 2012 to 61 percent this year.
Other key findings in the poll:
• 32 percent say lack of financial support is the No. 1 challenge facing public schools. Concerns about standards and discipline problems each received 9 percent.
• 50 percent of Americans give the schools in their communities either an A or B, with parents awarding local schools even higher marks.
The new poll echoes concerns and efforts by teachers across the county, calling for an end to anti-toxic testing measures. The National Education Association is putting the strength of its 3 million members to call for governmental oversight of the powerful testing industry and an end to the overuse of standardized testing across the country. Read: NEA launches campaign to end toxic-testing.
Read NEA Today story– Poll: Parents Want an End to the Testing Obsession