Since the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, high-stakes testing has become a ubiquitous feature of public school children's daily rituals. Reform advocates argue that testing leads to greater alignment of the curriculum with teaching and learning, teacher and student accountability, and in some cases, a preservation of our cultural heritage. Opponents contend that testing results in prolific cheating, higher drop-out rates, and a narrowing curriculum with emphases on teaching to the test. Moreover, some evidence suggests that a singular focus on passing the test at all costs leads to neglect in other areas including attending to students' spiritual and ethical needs as well as developing abilities to collaborate with others, communicate effectively, and innovatively solve problems. Nearly a century ago, Dewey proposed a philosophy of education addressing the needs of the whole student. He provided insights into the development of intelligence, the importance of socially useful skills, and the healthy growth of the individual. In the context of high-stakes testing and best practices, his insights may be more prescient than ever.

"Stuckart (Wagner College) and Glanz (Yeshiva Univ.) advocate for a return to John Dewey's philosophy of education, especially as related to the complexity of addressing the needs of the whole child in the context of current contemporary issues in education today. Dewey advocated education for the whole child that treated teaching and learning as ethical practices necessary to a democratic society. Stuckart and Glanz are particularly concerned this broader focus on the role of education is being replaced by a narrow focus on testing. Many of the issues the authors discuss refer to the negative consequences of practices associated with No Child Left Behind. Specifically, Stuckart and Glanz assert that the focus on high-stakes testing has led to the negative consequences tied to the narrowing of the public school curriculum in the US. For example, key skills for the 21st century—effective collaboration, communication, and critical problem-solving skills—are neglected aspects of this curriculum. Finally, the book is an excellent overview and response to the popular accountability movements today. Recommended. Lower-division undergraduate collections and above." - CHOICE