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Most teachers I have talked to are not worried at all about testing. I have taught many classes out of my certification. Teach alg, trig, and calc for several years and anyone becomes proficient. There was talk of teachers being required to take another 2 years coursework for each certification; the academics just luv those ideas. Recently, it was announced that teachers will have to take tests in specific areas; for certification. Testing to me seems more acceptable than 2 years of classes ($$$$$$$$$$). The test will be at the teachers expense but then most teachers spend a couple of thousand on their classrooms and supplies every year anyway.

In larger schools, the certification requirements will work just fine. How about small rural schools that only have say 2-3 teachers for 30 students. Will teachers all retain 5-6 certifications? Will states just raise taxes as usual to fund more teachers? No everyone can homeschool for various reasons. Do you actually think that govt schools and all the big govt programs and power will disappear?

I have been around long enough to understand politics is a pendulum; as much as I detest the clintons some one of their filthy caliber will be back in power again. Then what?

From what I see of the NEA, they are coordinating their efforts to meet fed & state guidelines. They will then expect all other entities to match them also.

What if a family had homeschooled their kids for 5-6 years and then the kids couldn't pass the benchmarks. You think that doesn't occur. Not all homeschoolers are as dedicated as most people on FR. From what I have seen, about 1/2 homeschooled kids don't make the grade. You best believe the NEA will expose the bad.

Education is much more complicated than most from both sides realize. It is also too political. I was a certified teacher when I started on FR. Still a repub, still a teacher, and still get most of my news from FR. Just wish other people on FR could stand in a public school teacher's shoes for 6 months; they would see a wider perspective.

>>>From what I see of the NEA, they are coordinating their efforts to meet fed & state guidelines.

The US government of the government of the CPUSA.org?

I agree with your well expressed points

"There was talk of teachers being required to take another 2 years coursework for each certification; the academics just luv those ideas."

Lets see - Union teachers working to teach other Union Teachers - sounds like a lot of extra jobs and a lot of extra pay for NOT teaching students.

Education is much more complicated than most from both sides realize. It is also too political. I was a certified teacher when I started on FR. Still a repub, still a teacher, and still get most of my news from FR. Just wish other people on FR could stand in a public school teacher's shoes for 6 months; they would see a wider perspective.

Dittos from another public school teacher.

IMO it would be an improvement if the testing & NCLB finally put a stake through the heart of the "middle school concept". Put the 6th graders back in elementary school, put the 9th graders back in junior high, and have teachers certified in each subject (not in "middle grades education") teaching the junior high students.

In larger schools, the certification requirements will work just fine. How about small rural schools that only have say 2-3 teachers for 30 students. Will teachers all retain 5-6 certifications? >>>>>>>>

how small do you concider small? I ask because the school I graduated from had and still has graduating classes of around 40 students (+/- a few each year)

this school has two teacher per grade at the elem level (k-6)plus 1 phys. ed and 1 music and 1 art. the art and band instructors also teach in the high school. Then of course there are the various sped positions. ST is the only one shared with the hs, and things like OT and PT and other really speicalized things are actually contracted through and educational district.

at the high school level there are 2 math instructors, 2 science instructors, 2 history/social studies instructors, 2 english instructors, 1 home ecoconics instructor, 1 shop/industrial tech instructor, 1 phys ed/health instructor, 1 computer/busineness instructor and the various sped instructors...and so on. These teachers all teach in the subjects that they actually spent time taking classes to be qualified to teach. I don't see how small schools would be adversly affected by teachers having to show qualifications since they are teaching in their chosen area. It would of course show how well they themselves have been taught. :-)

" You best believe the NEA will expose the bad."

You must be joking!

The NEA is the financial arm of the DNC. Either you're on the wrong forum or your are misguided.