> No new "Common Core" tests are going to help that child learn if they are afraid they might not eat dinner that evening Perhaps the test will help such child

> No new "Common Core" tests are going to help that child learn if they are afraid they might not eat dinner that evening Perhaps the test will help such children learn by identifying excellent teachers. Imagine three students who regularly go hungry are taught by three different teachers: Teacher A doesn't even find out that her student is going hungry. Teacher B finds out there is a problem and calls the parent once or twice to explain that it is the parent's responsibility to ensure the child does not skip meals. Teacher C discovers the problem and visits the parent at home to explain in person why it vital for the long-term outlook of the student that the student not go hungry. In addition: (a) The teacher tries to understand the root case of the problem - is the parent on drugs, or has to work 3 jobs, or has an abusive husband? (b) The teacher investigates government or charity services that might have an impact on the problem. (c) The teacher visits the student's household regularly and tries various ways to motivate the parent to correct the problem. (d) The teacher contacts other members of the student's family to explain the problem and try to get them engaged. (e) The teacher celebrates any academic success of the student with all members of the family and links this success to their efforts. (f) The teacher gives the student her phone number and tells the student to call with any questions about the homework - this gives the teacher the opportunity to find out in real-time if the student is going hungry at home, giving a deeper understanding of extent of the problem and perhaps allowing the teacher to tackle the problem in real-time. Now tell me: Which student will perform better on Common Core tests?