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--> --> Congress hands educators a test Santa Fe New Mexican Dec. 23 For all the snake-oil nobility of its title, the Leave No Child Behind Act just approved by Congress is no cure-all for what ails our nation's schools. ... Every state will have to administer yearly tests in math and reading proficiency to third- to eighth-graders. Results will be broken down into race, gender, economic background and age, so school officials can begin narrowing the achievement gaps between poor kids and those better off; between ethnic minorities and majorities, and between the sexes. And, by implication, teachers and principals will be graded as well; test results are to be made public. Ignored amid all the Capitol Hill-White House hoorah over the bill's passage - and impending signature with souvenir pens all around - is that public education still is state property. Each state may choose standardized - or sub-standardized - tests to its liking. ... In approving the Leave No Child Behind Act, Congress is dropping the gauntlet at the feet of state and local school leaders. By forcing every-year testing, our representatives and senators are putting a spotlight on educators' abilities and dedication to their students. By providing remedial money, they're taking away excuses for failure. By allowing 12 years for low-achieving schools to shape up, they're treating public-education reform as the long-term investment it must be. ... Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing