Submitted by Ken, Aug 28, 2007 12:06

Part of the decline must be related to the increasingly limited scope of instructional curriculum.

Teachers focus on preparing students to pass standardized tests like Gateway, rather than putting their energies into well-rounded curriculums geared toward students in their specific regions. The corresponding lack of depth and general homogenization of American education is negatively impacting SAT scores.

Standardized testing emphasizes breadth, not depth, of learning. The reality is that breadth of understanding is usually achieved by gaining depth of knowledge.

Unfortunately we're in an era where funding, not learning, drives education in America. Schools that underperform on the standardized tests are punished. Those are the very schools that need the additional federal resources.

One of the strengths of America is the diversity of knowledge and understanding each citizen obtains in school. Homogenizing the education system to a limited subset of knowledge, as predetermined by an elite group of educators, weakens the country. Yes, students need to know how to read. Yes, students need to understand basic math. But beyond that, we're shortchanging our kids.

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