Article 1: "Mike Looks to Repeat; Might spread his third-grade policy to all students" by Saltonstall
Saltonstall reports that Bloomberg not only pushed through a controversial plan to "hold back failing their-graders" but he also intends to impose these standards on every grade. Thus Bloomberg believes that tough standards must be set in order to increase mathematics and reading tests scores in students. While it is not intended that all students performing poorly on standardized math and reading tests be held back a grade, this plan would help eliminate the problem. The mayor did add that some children have been "dealt a bad hand by God" but he maintains that tougher standards with clear performance measures lead to higher graduation rates. Thus he has concluded that this approach, since it is a tough tactic, would results in increased positive outcomes. Saltonstall reports further that this tactic may seal the mayor's reputation as not only a tough reformer but an unfeeling tyrant.
Review of Article Within Educational Philosophies and Practices Literature
Vilencia and Villarreal (2003) critiqued the use of standards-based school reform. A Nation at Risk presented by the National Commission on Excellence in Education, provided the origin for the current standards-based school reform movement found in the United States. This accountability movement mandates that state achievement tests are used to hold schools accountable for meeting academic standards of performance. High-stakes testing is used to measure this achievement and award or deny high school diplomas. The consequences of this movement are in question. In particular the consequences for minority students of low-socioeconomic status are considered. The state of Texas provides an example of the advanced implementation of this standards-based reform. The state has a 20-year history of using state-mandated testing. It is believed that this standard setti...