To be clear, I'm not convinced this is actually true. It sure sounds like someone is pushing an anti-standardized-test agenda (not that I disagree with that).

To be clear, I'm not convinced this is actually true. It sure sounds like someone is pushing an anti-standardized-test agenda (not that I disagree with that). But if it is true, note that they're testing highly-gifted kids, who might very well be getting fewer teaching resources now that they would have in the early 70's. American public education at any rate seems to be a bit of a squeaky-wheel-gets-the-oil environment, where if you're not failing tests you don't need any special treatment.