Archives - Education Technology: Page 14
Author: paul carson (Fri Aug 25, 2006 3:41 am)
Title: Is the Collegeboard becoming too much of a business?
To generations of students and their teachers, the College Board has been synonymous with the SAT test. But these days it has broader ambitions and wants to reach deeply into high school and even middle school classrooms nationwide.
The board is marketing new products, like English and math curriculums for grades 6 through 12. It has worked with New York City to start five College Board Schools, with plans to open 13 more in New York and other cities by 2007. It is also trying to improve existing schools, starting this fall with 11 public high schools outside New York State and adding 19 next year. In November, it will open an institute for principals.
The board says it is eager to bring new rigor to education. But these efforts are also being driven by the fact that the board, a nonprofit organization based in New York City, is no longer an unrivaled force. It faces strong competition from the ACT in college admissions testing, and some colleges are making the SAT optional. Recent gaffes in SAT scoring raised questions of confidence in the test and the organization.
Some critics say that as the board expands its reach, it is becoming too much of a business. And some educators and policy makers question whether its entry into middle and high schools will bring too much standardization of curriculum and further promote a culture of testing.
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grow and be kind
I have never been a strong supporter of the SAT or standardized testing in general. I view the entire collegiate network as one big business. Students need to be enriched through creative and dynamic teaching methods. Collegeboard schools will most likely be the polar opposite of such a learning experience. We need a change in our educational system, but like everything else in this country, the only change we get is in the wrong direction. I would like to say I have a positive outlook on where education is headed, but I have no clue what to expect. I know one thing for certain, I will foster a creative, fun and interesting learning environment for my children.