"The impact that I see is a narrowing of the opportunities that students have because resources are being placed only in the core areas that are tested. We have increased class sizes in what we call the non-core areas: foreign languages, the arts, PE, the practical arts as well as the fine arts.

"And so the opportunities for students to expand their creativity, to explore areas in which they may have talent, and to broaden their horizons has been reduced. I think they're losing individuality. I think they're losing opportunities for creativity. School is becoming so standardized that students are losing the joy for learning—in many cases, the joy of finding avenues that they can be passionate about, finding avenues that they can pursue as adults—you know, the variety of areas outside the ones that are tested.

"They may not have the opportunity to pursue foreign language as far as they want. Students who may have an interest in vocational or technical fields are not getting the opportunities that they once would have because our resources are so focused on tested areas."

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