CHEATING DATA SUSPECT? Data wizard, Gary Miron, professor of education at Western Michigan University, raises questions about the methodologies behind the allegations of cheating on tests included in a report last Sunday in The Atlantic Journal-Constitution. We'd agree with the quiet consensus that high-stakes testing catalyzes activities that don't promote learning. Miron's deepest concern: "Students are being cheated of a broader education that emphasizes a balance of creativity, extracurricular activities, foreign languages, higher math and science skills and other opportunities due to the overemphasis on testing for basic math and reading." Final capstone: fresh data here on the percentage of schools with art programs.
