To the Educators of California’s Children:

My daughter is one of the brightest kids in her class and is extremely hard-working and conscientious. Over the past two years she’s reached a level in math where she is using algebra and geometry…but recently we’ve noticed that she has been having trouble with basic addition and subtraction. Is it a learning disability? Not at all. However, I do believe that this is evidence of a disability. It’s a teaching disability that is being caused by our extreme focus on standardized testing.

The current curriculum in California schools has been heavily influenced by the move toward standardized tests. I have noticed that there is more stress on our children to study solely for the standardized tests and we are losing our focus on teaching basic skills.

We need to rethink what we are doing to our kids. I remember what it was like in college, “studying for the test.” It was a way to achieve a good grade quickly, but it didn’t allow you to truly learn the material. I understand the motivations behind standardized tests, but we are failing our children by focusing too much on this one method.

I’m trying to do what’s best for my daughter, and we are now spending every evening re-teaching basic math skills. We are lucky that we have the time to help her this way.

I’m asking that California educational administrators think this through. I believe that many teachers agree with my assessment. Listen to your teachers, and realize that we need to make corrections to our current path. Our kids need to have a solid foundation of basic reading, writing, and math skills. Teaching-for-the-test does not encourage the strengthening of that foundation. It undermines it.

Sincerely,

Shannon Whitley
Father

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