This is a long and fact-filled story about the rise and possible fall of the testing industry in Texas.
I am quoted near the end, and there is one statement that I need to correct.
I explained to the journalist that schools had changed a lot since I was a student in Houston public schools.
Back in what people think were the “good old days,” the schools were racially segregated (for some reason, he interpreted that to mean that black and Hispanic students were not allowed to go to school, and puts those words in my mouth. Of course, they were allowed to go to school– to underfunded, segregated schools.)
That exchange aside, it is a good account of the accountability battle.
It is funny that Sandy Kress continues to believe that any relaxation of high-stakes testing will be terrible for poor and minority kids. Remember the promise that “no child would be left behind?” Can anyone today say with a straight face that no child has been left behind thanks to testing and accountability?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Perhaps the goal now is No Child Left.
It’s an ambitious goal, but with their sense-defying, unyielding devotion to the combination of callous No Excuses and shallow Test Scores Mean Everything, privatizers might well achieve it. Then they can declare No Gap. Where there are no kids, there is no gap.
If there is no gap where are the students to buy their clothes?
Parents are doing a great job in Texas just like the parents in Florida who once again defeated the Parent Trigger Law. Thank you parents. Teachers are losing the fight, so it’s great to see parents picking up their torches. And to all those pols who declare parents are “not sophisticated” to make these decisions, I say THANK YOU AND KEEP IT UP!!! These anti-parent (really anti-women since moms are driving these issues) are really lighting a fire for the cause.
Oh, this “reform” movement will die all right, and when it does, Diane Ravitch will deservedly get the credit. I’m so disappointed that our two national teacher organizations did not take the lead in fighting this war against our public schools.
Yes, Diane, & Sandy Kress’ children go to a school that advertises itself as making room for creative teaching and learning by NOT having any “standardized” testing!