Schools May Alter Standardized Tests

Re “Schools Challenge Mandatory Testing,” May 29:

Perhaps I just don’t understand. When, according to the vice president of the L.A. Board of Education, testing reveals and identifies a lack of resources in schools, the corrective measure is to eliminate the testing? Does this mean that classroom tests should also be eliminated because some students do poorly on them? Isn’t the purpose of testing to reveal and identify areas of weakness that can then be strengthened?

Salem Spitz

Cerritos

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The opponents of testing won’t be satisfied until someone develops a test that everyone passes and scores above average on.

Martin Mach

Venice

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Re “Tailor Teaching to the Child,” editorial, May 26: As a special education teacher and father of a special ed student, I inform The Times it’s in special ed that struggling students receive the personalized attention for which you editorialize. And the standard for services is precisely the one for which you cry: an aptitude out of sync with performance.

It’s ignorant to criticize attention-deficit diagnosis, a topic of voluminous and advanced research. In fact, attention-deficit disorder is recognized in the DSM-IV, the clinical bible of psychological health providers, as having three pathologies: hyperactivity, inattentiveness and impulsivity.

For those of us in the “at-risk” education trenches, as parents, teachers or both, the wisdom of Dr. Mel Levine and the generosity of the family foundation of Michael Eisner are appreciated. What’s not appreciated are uninformed swipes against the special ed program that has served millions of children. And that, thankfully, includes my son.

Bill Hoffine

San Diego

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Re “Throwing Good Money After Poor Education,” by Roger Lewis, Voices, May 25: Lucent Technologies, where Lewis worked, had a stock price of more than $80 at one point in December 1999. Lucent is now at less than $5. Following his thinking, can we blame him for the poor results of Lucent? Lewis has many suggestions for the LAUSD; did he also advise Lucent? Let’s not blame our hard-working teachers for everything that is wrong with our public education system.

Al Brown

Redondo Beach