Test Prep-aholics Anonymous

New York State has worked to pass a law aimed against excessive test prep.  Public schools will not be able to prep more than 2% of class time, or about three and a half days per school year in total.  The funniest part of it all seems to be that charter schools, so well known for being test-prep factories to please their accountability-minded investors, are exempt from these laws.  Witness stories of "high-octane" test prep at Success Academy. 

I don't believe any amount of law can prevent excessive test prep so long as the underlying system of accountability does not change.  If teachers, their APs and schools have their feet held to the fire for the test scores of their students, they will continue to prep like there is no tomorrow.  And, I'm betting tomorrow's homework will also be test prep.  

In South Korea where most of the stress seems to be placed squarely upon the shoulders of the test takers themselves, there is a booming industry of private Hagwons for test prep.  Students have attended well  into and past the witching hour, as late as 1 a.m. and 2 a.m.  So, South Korea passed a law to close these schools by 10:00 p.m.  Still, there are police that bust illegal test prep operations, masquerading as something else after hours.  

Given the severity of the issue, I believe we need a several step program to combat the addictive nature of test prep for teachers.  I have based it on Alcoholics Anonymous.

1.  We, teachers must admit that we are "licked," that we are powerless against the addictive force of test prepping.
2.  We must make a "moral inventory" of our sins.
3.  We must confess our failings privately with at least one other person.
4.  We must make restitution to all those whom we have hurt through our excessive test prepping.
5.  We must try to seek to aid all other test "prep-aholics," selflessly, without any promise of personal benefit.
6.  We must pray to whatever God or gods or NYS Regent in whom we trust for the power to practice our precepts.  

Of course, this program may seem like career suicide given that public-school teachers are rated to a large degree upon their students' test scores.  All of this may drive a teacher to drink (if excessively, see AA literature), lead to the closing of his or her school and the continued privatization of education.  

In  light of all of this, perhaps, one could just avoid the long and painful symptoms stemming from test-prep withdrawal by leaving to teach in a charter school, prepping to one's heart's content and, most likely, resigning oneself to the absence of the rights of a unionized workforce.  If only all addictions were so easy to address!