Testing, testing: Rewrite of burdensome education law tardy but well done

Teachers and students are receiving an early Christmas gift from the federal government.

Congress approved and President Obama signed a bill rewriting the landmark No Child Left Behind law of 2002 this week, giving states more control over student testing and school accountability.

The law, which had proven to be unpopular with educators as well as students and their parents, was supposed to hold schools more accountable. Instead, it created a system that many considered unworkable.

The legislation keeps one part of the old law: the mandated statewide reading and math exams in grades three to eight and one such test in high school.

But it encourages the states to limit the time spent on testing and therefore the time teachers spend "teaching to the test."

We heartily agree with the government's decision, which had strong support from both sides of the aisle.

Tests are necessary to maintain accountability in education, but the act took it too far.

There are few programs we know of that don't benefit by less federal intrusion, and this is certainly one of them.

Published in Editorials on December 11, 2015 11:47 AM