In 2001, the U.S. Congress passed No Child Left Behind, ushering in an era of bloated bureaucracy in public education. Proficiency became the coveted prize for every school, but the narrow way it was measured was questioned by many. Meanwhile, compliance became the norm, overseen by the burgeoning bureaucracy. In 2009, The Every Student Succeeds Act attempted to mitigate the flaws in NCLB by instituting growth instead of achievement as the arbiter of learning success. This is a flawed concept on two fronts: it gives false security to students and their guardians, and forces teachers to focus on activities other than teaching.

Then the curriculum experts jumped into the game, creating the misnomer called Common Core, a set of standards that pushes kids faster than previously, in their elementary education particularly. The most significant backlash of this is that many students are resisting the push toward faster and more in-depth learning. One need only look at test scores to see the evidence.

In 2011, Colorado added its own debacle, The Great Teachers and Leaders Act, Senate Bill 10-191. Far from ensuring greatness in Colorado’s teachers, this law elevated data collection above instruction, while portending just the opposite. Additionally, the teacher evaluation systems required by SB 10-191 applied the idea of growth in ways that were heartily exploited by the teachers’ unions.

Why are Colorado’s test scores below 45% proficient in math and reading?
Two reasons: Common Core standards are developmentally flawed, and teachers are now able to pretend to teach. Colorado’s failure is a cautionary tale to every other state considering a similar ‘performance-based’ boondoggle.

There’s a simple solution, but first, we must face some hard truths.