Department of Education - No Clue

Major decisions made by the school districts such as those affecting standardized testing are generally implemented by Department of Education leaders and state politicians who are far removed from what actually occurs within local school districts. So, their decisions may be made on what is acceptable in their own well-to-do communities which is certainly not the experiences within schools in minority communities. The FCAT, the standardized test in the State of Florida, is an example of how a state's government, which is located in the rural northern community of Tallahassee, Florida, makes decisions that negatively impact schools in minority communities. The decisions do not take into consideration the unique circumstances that may prevent some students from having an opportunity to give an outstanding performance. For instance, schools in the South Florida community includes a high population of second language learners, so these students would not be successful in passing such a standardized test. What these Department of Education personnel and politicians need to do is to get out of their ivory towers and not only take the time to visit schools in minority districts for a couple of minutes but remain for a week or so as to become familiar with the challenges that are faced on a daily basis. This experience should help them to become aware, concerned, and more knowledgeable as to what to do to help low performing schools rather than ordering their closure or making other negative suggestions.