Benchmark testing shuts education down

This week my school effectively shuts down education for two days to administer benchmarks. Benchmarks are tests that have been created in district to mirror the state performance tests. However, these tests are not created by professional test creators. The district does not  field test questions and teachers have been extremely vocal about how these tests have bad test items and college level reading passages. But the district proceeds because benchmarks have been mandated for all 9, 10, and 11 graders. Students scores are used as predictors for the "real" test, TAKS, in the spring. Unfortunately, the district ignores the old adage: bad data in, bad data out.

NPR news article about teachers being overpaid.

Really? You, too. It seems the national past time is teacher bashing. What have we ever done but sacrifice our families and our lives for your children?
Let me set the record straight on a few things. One: since Texas Teacher Retirement is considered a windfall pension plan, I can expect my social security to be reduced although I have paid social security for over 40 years. My pension is 43% of my salary. Not much of a windfall when I hear City of Austin workers tell me they get closer to 70%. Two: The state of Texas passed a law that teachers could not collect their pension until they are 60 whether or not they hit the rule of 80. Yes, rule of 80 not 75 like in most private companies.  Three: My three year contract has been withdrawn. I now have a one year contract and a host of new appraisal hoops to jump through. Value added is a euphemism for a database that will track individual student improvement year to year and tie their performance to me. Do you have a teen ager? Would you want your job performance tied to their behavior?