Test Prep Doesn't Work: How One New York District Succeeded by Emphasizing Teaching, Not Tests

An upstate district helped its elementary students achieve huge gains in test scores, while deemphasizing test prep. According to Letchworth's superintendent, “There is no research that says test prep works, so, no, we didn’t do any.” A rare voice of sanity! What did they do instead? Rather than force teachers to use the EngageNY scripted modules, the school grouped children by ability, added a social-emotional curriculum, kept class sizes small, and provided a lot of professional development for the teachers on days the kids didn't have classes. And they added physical activity to math class! A must read article - for once, a story with a happy ending. Here's the complete story, from Capital New York: The One That Thrived