A student fills out an answer on the practice test given prior to a traditional paper standardized test.Overtesting and underfunding are the two largest hurdles facing teachers in Tennessee, according to state education experts.
On Tuesday, the Tennessee Education Association brought its third annual Road Trip to Hamilton County in an effort to discuss with concerned educators, parents and community members the number of issues plaguing local schools.
According to TEA officials, students simply aren’t receiving the quality education they need in the state because teachers are required to grind students – and themselves – into the dirt through repeated testing. And when the results come in, they are too often used to punish educators and students, they said.
“We currently have a test-and-punish system,” said Rhonda Thompson, a coordinator of instructional advocacy and student program with TEA.
She said when students perform poorly everyone is punished through school closures, job losses and budget cuts.