The Debate’s Not Really About “Immigration”

The current political debate is quickly becoming about the past, rather than the future. There is a depressing parallel between policymakers who are arguing about who did or didn’t vote for the war in Iraq instead of what to do in Iraq, and the debate about securing the border to prevent the arrival of immigrants who are already here. Focusing on 9/11, the authorization of war in Iraq, and the past positions of candidates on immigration is backward-looking and facile. A much more difficult–and much more productive–debate on foreign and domestic policy would focus on what to do now. In terms of immigration, the massive demographic shift occurring in the U.S., involving legal and illegal immigrants as well as their children, has already taken place. Immigration already happened. However, ideology is distorting the debate, and the dominant political discourse makes it politically costly for politicians to try any clear-eyed problem-solving.

We cannot afford to let our emotions cloud the very important task of determining what we should do about the more than 12 million undocumented immigrants that are within our borders. The fate of so many people will have long-term ramifications for our schools, our communities, our economy, our identity as a nation of immigrants and yes, for our political parties (see this Wall Street Journal article for more on how immigration policy could have an impact on how immigrants vote in the future).

If we haven’t even started the primaries and the immigration debate is already so debased, you can be sure that no matter which of the many sides you are on when it comes to immigration, what you won’t see in the coming months is anything resembling a solution.

-Amanda Levinson | Director of Policy Programs

International Reading Assessment Lost

It is hard to believe and quite unacceptable that an international exam administered in 56 countries to test standards of math, reading and science was recently found to be flawed.  No, not tests in the other countries, but tests in America administered by the Department of Education and printed by a consulting firm.  It seems that the reading portion of the test was inaccurately lined up with correct page numbers, questions and texts.  Education organizations across the board are thoroughly upset about the issue that could have easily been caught if anyone in either the Department of Education or the consulting firm proofread the test.

This international exam is administered every three years to assess and compare students across the world.  It is highly important that the results are accurate to provide our country and others with their next steps in education policy.  What is disheartening is the fact this type of error has been done on various standardized tests including the SAT’s and the state math and reading tests under NCLB.

To me this is a prime example of why American education has fallen behind other countries in the past years.  It is because of the inconsistent and almost careless acts of education officials who seem to take data and research way too lightly.  We need data to understand where American students are, how they can learn better and where they can possibly end up.  So why are these mishaps and proofreading errors happening?  Shouldn’t a handful of people be tasked with making sure the tests are consistent?  With the importance that weighs in on these tests, it does not seem too much to ask.

You can read about this story here.

-Courtney Haynes | Program Associate