Originally Posted by Floridama
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The problem with not having national standards is how it negatively affects the nd or slow kids.

I respectfully disagree smile. The only ones who stand to gain from national standards is the middle ground, which I will admit, is the majority.
Slower kids will be have to be taught...and re-taught....and re-taught how to pass a specific test. In turn they will get bored and are more likely to tune out at school.

Special Education parents are very unhappy with our Florida standards test, FCAT. Many of them advocate against it because it causes major stress on thier children. http://stopthefcat.com/Disadvantaged_Groups.html
Slower children typically do not test well, even if they understand the concept. How many times do you have to fail to believe you are a failure?

*Slower children NEED a slower pace and should be encouraged to do their personal best, not required to meet the national average.
**And the inverse is true for the more advanced kids.

The use of a double negative in my post made it confusing. I don't think you disagree with me. Removing the double negative would let it read "having a national standard would positively affect nd or slow children". My reasoning is, in this society many of the children who are(or should be) being held back to repeat material, or eventually dropping out due to failure, are failing due to switching schools often and missing out on key material. Having the same minimum goal at each school would result in the same principle material being taught no matter which school the child attended.
It might even help gifted children accelerate by demonstrating they have learned the material set as the goal for a particular age group.