Low state standards create illusion of proficiency, says new report

 The tests that states use to measure academic progress under the No Child Left Behind Act are creating a false impression of success, according to a new report created by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and the Northwest Evaluation Association. A few of the major findings in "The Proficiency Illusion" include the following:

* States are aiming particularly low when it comes to their expectations for younger children, setting elementary students up to fail as they progress through their academic careers.
* The central flaw in NCLB is that it allows each state to set its own definition of what constitutes "proficiency."
* By mandating that all students reach "proficiency" by 2014, it tempts states to define proficiency downward.

For further information, visit the webpage for the report.