Basing Learning on Standardized Testing

The Washington Post blog had an article here describing the views of Robert Scott, who was the Commissioner of Education in Texas.  He said that to base learning on standardized testing led to a "perversion" of quality education.

Here is the heart of the problem with the Common Core Standards in Language Arts:  They are driving a curriculum that ensures these standards will never be met.  Imagine putting an eight-year-old, who has just learned the rudiments of soccer, onto a field with a good high school varsity team, and telling the eight-year-old he'd just better keep up.  I can guarantee you that he will begin to hate soccer and will never be a good player.

The Common Core Standards are driving a curriculum that will ensure that kids hate reading, and so never acquire sophisticated reading skills.