Robin Carnahan: “we must never let any of our children slip through the cracks of the education system. That's why a yardstick of…”

“we must never let any of our children slip through the cracks of the education system. That's why a yardstick of performance is needed. It's why rigorous accountability and increased testing have become cornerstones of the education debate. I strongly support testing to help us measure the progress of our Nation's students. Missouri is at the forefront of using testing to drive education reform. Since 1993, Missouri educators have worked hard to shape a testing structure called the Missouri Assessment Program. These tests measure progress in math, communication arts, science, and social studies as well as a variety of skills. Each of the four core subject areas is tested in three grade levels. In each of these grade levels, every child is tested. I commend Missouri educators on creating a superb testing instrument. Each child's development is gauged on an individual, case-by-case basis as well as in relation to other students across the Nation. By contrast, under President Bush's plan, States would be required to test every child annually in grades 3-8.”