Column #15, posted 3/18/02

$105 Million to Grade Tests?

There is no money for education. Time and again, while I struggle to find money to create innovative high school curricula (not mention new curricula for younger kids), I am told that there is no money. I live in Florida, and today I found, in the Palm Beach Post, an article headlined:

“State to pay $6.7 million more for company to grade FCATs” (note: the FCAT is the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test for students in grades 3-10)

Inside the article there is news that “the state has made official a $105 million contract with (an Iowa company) for an additional three years.”

There is no money available for building new curricula, but there is $105 million for grading useless tests. We should all be ashamed of the actions that politicians have taken in recent years to rigidify an already rigid system. What a waste of money. What a waste of time for students.