If reform as defined as a program to make things better, it is hard to call conservative education policy reform. According to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Academy of Research, test based incentives have failed to raise achievement. According to this coalition of our preeminent thinkers, one of the GOP's biggest education policies is a proven failure.
The GOP wants at least half of a teacher's evaluation to come from testing. This is incentive based, market based profit motive reform. the problem is that is not what drives improvement. In fact, the incentives can have the exact opposite effect. According to the National Academies:
Evidence also suggests that high school exit exam programs, as currently implemented in many states, decrease the rate of high school graduation without increasing student achievement.
The report states the obvious. Test based incentives can encourage teachers to teach to the test. Knowledge of what is on the test may increase, but dept and breadth of knowledge in a subject may actually decrease. High school exit exams, like Minnesota's MCAs, have decreased graduation without increasing knowledge.
Ironically, they encourage comprehensive teacher evaluation programs. Teacher unions pioneering these teacher improvement programs. While the GOP bashes the unions for impeding reform, it is in fact the unions who are leading the way. While the union leads the way, the conservative movement is pushing education ideas that are proven failures. In the final sad irony, the GOP also ignored all of Governor Dayton's research proven reforms for early childhood education. These reforms are supported by extensive research at our own University of Minnesota. I guess the GOP doesn't like proven reforms, they don't like working in collaboration with the union, and they don't look at the science from our flagship university. Maybe they need an exit exam on how to govern effectively. Maybe then they might listen to the National Academies.
Cross posted at MNProgressiveProject