Following allegations that a staff member at a Wilson, N.C., charter school had changed answer sheets on standardized tests, the state is now spending $60,000 to study whether/how much cheating is going on.
This is another “if P, then Q” situation. Once testing becomes a key part of funding (and paycheck) decisions in the school system, it is only a matter of time before someone decides to see if it can be … bent a little. And the next round of expenditures ensues.
It seems like the problem is related to Original Sin — we all suffer from it, personally and collaterally. While the state can do little to eliminate that problem, would it make sense to take the handling of the testing process out of the hands of those who may have a stake in the outcome?
In other words, wouldn’t that help keep “honest” (but fallable) people … honest?