Mary Jane Marshbanks: Selective testing

When the unemployment rate in our state falls a few tenths of a percent, our lawmakers congratulate themselves for creating jobs. This reduction is partly the result of the long-term unemployed very sensibly not applying for benefits that do not exist. Hence, they are no longer considered unemployed.

We could use the same method to improve competency scores in our public schools by allowing only the better students to take end-of-grade tests. The average scores would rise, and our legislators could use this information in their next campaigns to tout how cutting funds for public education has improved our schools.

This story was originally published March 31, 2015 at 10:27 AM with the headline "Mary Jane Marshbanks: Selective testing."