Standardized tests like MCAS are good. Without them, the local school district defines success for itself and it would only be human for principals, administrators, and committee members to paint their schools in the best light possible. MCAS, which sets a very high, state-wide standard, is the tool used in Massachusetts to measure progress as required by No Child Left Behind. One of the most controversial provisions of NCLB is the requirement that progress be measured not only for the school's student body as a whole, but for each subordinate group of students. Under NCLB, the MCAS scores of special education students, for example, must show adequate yearly progress. If they do not, the entire school is labeled as "underperforming" (even if the majority of students are passing the test) and the various sanctions of NCLB commence. Tomorrow's blog entry will discuss the requirement that the test scores of special education students (and of other groups within the school) determine whether the school is deemed underperforming.