Dr. Nicholas Gledich, Superintendent of Colorado Springs School District 11 has proposed a three year moratorium on high stakes standardized testing. This takes courage in test-happy Colorado.
Dr. Gledich understands that high-stakes testing cheapens education, demoralizes teachers, and makes testing far more important than it should be. Tests should be used periodically to see how students are doing and if they need extra help. But today they have become the be-all and end-all of schooling. That’s not what the best private schools do. That’s not what public schools should do.
Thank you and congratulations, Dr. Gledich! Welcome to the honor roll!
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Good for him! Some of the most damaging tests are not necessarily thought of as “high stakes” so I hope Dr. Gledich and other CO superintendents will take a hard look at the many. many K-2 strings (I mean tests) attached to the READ Act that are sold as necessary by the literacy folks at CDE.
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Diane,
Nick Gledich is indeed a brave, principled superintendent here in Colorado Springs. He is superintendent of District 11, not District 12. I don’t know that it matters, but just for your info …
Judy Casey Colorado Springs
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Judy Casey
I will fix that
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Thank you for mentioning our brave superintendent, Dr. Nicholas Gledich from Colorado Springs School District 11! This is MY school district. I live in this district and have witnessed the struggle the students, teachers, administration and the community have endured trying to make annual yearly progress. Progress is made every day by our hardworking teachers and students; just never enough in a poor school district. Dr. Gledich is a hero and should be treated as such. The BOE needs to grow a spine and support him. The CO Department of Education needs to be relieved of duty.
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Diane, thank you so much for these words of support for Dr. Nicholas Gledich. As you said so succinctly, Colorado is indeed “test happy” and courageous people like Dr. Gledich need voices such as yours to help go against the current, and ultimately divert it. Don Perl
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