National Standards hang in the balance

With just two weeks before schools reopen, the implementation of the government's National Standards hangs in the balance, says the union NZEI.
Calls for the minister to trial the Standards have fallen on deaf ears.  NZEI says today's first Cabinet meeting of the year is a chance for the government to prove it can listen and put children's learning first, by agreeing to a trial.
There is a groundswell of concern that the Standards are being rushed, there is no evidence they will raise student achievement, and their effect on student learning is unknown. That concern is being voiced by parents, principals, teachers, schools and educational experts.
NZEI president Frances Nelson says school communities ended last year feeling confused, angry and disillusioned about National Standards. 
"There is a lack of confidence in the Standards and a lot of resistance out there to their implementation.  The government must acknowledge those concerns or continue to ignore them at its peril," she says.
"The government is pumping more than 30 million dollars into National Standards.  Without any real guarantees about their value or worth, they risk going down in history as a costly educational experiment on NZ's children."
NZEI is launching a nationwide National Standards school bus tour next month as schools reopen.  The strong message the tour will be taking to communities is "Trial National Standards, not our kids".