Abstract

Why study the achievement of rural students? After all, so many educators-and some educational researchers as well-regard the whole business of giving, sweating over, and probing the results of standardized tests as problematic. First, many of us feel that the tests fail to measure the really good things that we've been up to. Second, some of us believe that the tests are irremediably prejudiced against people of color and the poor. Third, others believe that the pervasive use of "high-stakes" testing narrows the de facto curriculum only to what is on the test and may smother teachers' creativity and wisdom. Finally, still others (and at least one of the editors is among this group) believe that using the tests in "accountability" schemes to compare states, districts, schools, and teachers works principally to propagate envy, and its partner sin, greed.

How to Cite:

Howley, C. B. & Harmon, H. L., (1999) “Introduction to Special Issue”, Journal of Research in Rural Education 15(1), 3–4.

Rights: Copyright