Now that I have had time to reflect on this issue, I am going to say that
..I believe that there are segments of any issue that can be debated in detail and then there are segments within an issue that also need to be debated with clear "observable" data. ....listening to the people involved, asking pertinent questions, collecting such evidence along with hard copy abstract data.
Assessing a child's work is about concrete test results yes, ...but it is also about being able to see the child in the act of learning. Taking notes as the child is engaged in the task at hand, making clinical and objective anecdotal records along the way.
Both methods are necessary in order to make a final and clear judgement/assessment of how the child is progressing and learning.
This debate about the elements of The NCLB act reminds me of that.
There are some very good elements within the act and I am sure Kennedy had a great idea as he created the law.
And, yet there are obvious issues that need to be worked on. But the overall assessment of the NCLB act will have to come with more than a one size fits all form of data collection.
It takes a lot to work to assess and fine tune any program, law or system.
I applaud Obama's willingness to hear the evidence that teachers bring to the debate and ultimately to the fine tuning of a broken act.
It's clear that the NCLB is on the docket for change.
If McCain can bring about such changes, so be it.
I am not partisan on this issue.