Earlier this week, The Programme for International Student Assessment — better known as PISA – released 2012 test results .The results compare the performance of 15 year old students from 65 countries in reading, math and science. No surprise, the US performed about average in reading and science and below average in math. Since the release there has been no shortage of commentary or opinion about what the scores mean. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, likely trying to whip up support the need to implement Common Core standards, called the scores a picture of “educational stagflation.” Historian Diane Ravitch was less dramatic and blogs that there was never a time when the U.S. students topped the charts on international tests. Jason Richwine offered a balanced view on the results at National Review’s The Corner and reminds us that students and parents have the need to go beyond test scores; a need that can only be met by expanding educational opportunity and listening to parents.
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