On Education Reform

            
             The education system in America has been under fire for quite some time, with current argument and criticism largely focusing on the controversial issue of standardized testing. Argument over this form of testing is always in constant debate, with seemingly endless lines having been drawn between both supporting and apposing sides of the spectrum. Active viewpoints commonly tend to be either black or white, having no real mediation or common ground to satisfy a solution plausible to each side.
             Before I jump into this debate it will be necessary to give a brief history on standardized testing, what it is and how it came about. As part of the research for my topic, I looked at a Frontline article on the PBS website called, "Testing Our Schools." This article, which was produced by John D. Tulenko, documents interviews with educators, policy makers, and test makers in regards to the standardized testing debate. From this, I became informed about the history of standardized testing, which grew its roots when a1983 report titled, "A Nation at Risk," said American schools were, "Drowning in a tide of mediocrity," and threatening the countries economic stability (Testing Our Schools). This increased the American publics attention to the corrosion of education, then in 1989, former President Bush suitably held the first National Education Summit, establishing national education goals. .
             A few years later some of the country's important businessmen, such as the famous tycoon Ross Perot, held summits in 1996, 1999, and 2001 that stressed new standards (Testing Our Schools). Recently following in step, President George Bush Jr. signed into effect, "The No Child Left Behind Act," which received large bipartisan support in Washington. This act, among many other things, requires every state to test every student, every year in the third through eight grades, in reading and math (Testing Our Schools).