Goals? What Goals?

An article in yesterday’s New York Times (free registration required) talks about how some states, including Texas, are lowering the passing scores on their standardized tests. The motivation is to avoid the penalities that come with low scores as dictated by the No Child Left Behind act.

So, if you can’t hit the target, move it closer. What does that teach our kids about setting goals and achieving them? Sorry… I forgot. That topic isn’t on the test.