Michael (excuse me, "Mike") Bloomberg has made a big deal of how test scores for NYC schoolchildren have risen to seemingly astronomical heights. A closer examination, of course, reveals that while city tests -- the ones he and his puppet, Joel Klein, control -- seem to show significant gains, scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests show virtually no change at all over the past several years.

It would seem that when Michael Bloomberg writes the tests, kids show progress, but when someone else writes the tests the result is far different. This doesn't even take into account the fact that teachers are now wasting valuable class time giving practice tests; in theory, test scores should improve across the board if those practice tests are any good.

The anomaly to date has been state tests, given by the Board of Regents. Scores on these tests have risen statewide, and especially so in NYC. Michael Bloomberg doesn't control these tests, so he could claim that they are proof that his and Klein's methods work.

Until now.  read more »