Houston We Have A Problem

Two good reads from the Houston Chronicle. On the op-ed page Glenn W. Smith challenges the Texas Legislature to do right by kids there instead of setting ridiculously low standards that hamstring poor and minority youngsters. Meanwhile, the editorial board pleads for better quality teaching and less rote memorization but does not indict standards and testing. It’s a subtle but vital point. Good quality tests and accountability in and of themselves do not lead to reductive teaching, it’s how schools and teachers approach them that matters.