The SRA [Special Review Assessment] is in some ways a modern paraphrase of the Wizard of Oz’s gift to the scarecrow: “I can’t give you a brain, but I can give you a diploma.” With the SRA, schools are saying to the most vulnerable students, “We can’t give you the skills you need, but here’s a piece of paper saying we did.” The current system allows school districts to wash their hands of low-performing students.

Asbury Park Press Editorial on N.J.’s SRA, an alternative test given to 12% of our high school seniors after they fail the standard HSPA three times.