It was astonishing to find out that many among the teaching faculty were not aware of the Pearson Group’s presence in the New York state’s education scene.

Do the educators in the state have any say in what is going on?

Why is this private company getting paid enormous amounts of money when there are so many educators paid around the year for the Regents?

The tests themselves address minimal requirements.  The grading is sketchy and cannot stand closer scrutiny.  Often exams are not administered in properly proctored environments.  The gravest malaise is the general tendency to teach for the tests without any concern about the long range learning and retention.

The state appears to be pushing for a cookie-cutter scenario.  The barrage of testing is going to debilitate the incentives and creativity in learning.  The inventive teachers are losing precious time and energy in the endless paper chase.  There is an art of teaching and a science of teaching.   When I attended school, each period was a distinct experience.  At the same time, I preferred teachers who mastered their subjects and could conduct a class without notes and could freely let ideas flow and lead interactive discussion.

The state has to do better than what it is doing now if we are looking towards a higher standing in the field of international education and a better educated future society in the country.