Audrey Amrein-Beardsley W ho doesn’t laugh when a drug commercial presents a clip of a young, otherwise happy and healthy person laughing and flying a kite at the park and then dramatically exposes some ailment—only to fix it by unveiling a prescription drug, along with its potential side effects? What is laughable is that the side effects often seem worse than the problem itself. I may have found more humor in these commercials than others have because I grew up in a family opposed to even over-the-counter drugs. Drugs were simply not a part of my family’s holistic approach to healthy living— until last year, when I discovered I had a heart condition. I was prescribed a drug cocktail consisting of six medications, three of which carry serious side effects. No longer was I laughing at the poor souls portrayed in those drug commer- cials. Thanks to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), I quickly became an educated consumer. The FDA is the oldest and most respected protector of wellness in the United States. It exists to guarantee that no harm is done to consumers of foods and drugs. Specifically, it ensures that the benefits of the foods and drugs it approves outweigh the risks they pose and that their benefits and risks, once scientifically documented, are fully disclosed to the public to enable con- sumers to make wise health decisions. Might the FDA approach also serve as a model to protect the intellectual health of the United States? Might this be a model that legislators and education leaders follow when they pass legisla- tion or policies whose benefits and risks are unknown? Don’t students, teachers, and administrators in U.S. public schools deserve similar protection? In light of these questions, let’s look at one suggested “cure” for what’s ailing our schools. Take the Model— and Call Me in the Morning Currently, NCLB mandates that all U.S. states measure student learning using standardized achievement tests. This is not likely to change. NCLB also requires states to report on school progress using adequate yearly progress (AYP) meas- ures. But because of AYP’s shortcomings, some states now receive funds to inte- grate value-added assessment models into their accountability procedures, largely to help states comply with the accountability provisions written into NCLB. Value-added models assess teachers, schools, and districts on the value they add to student learning, from the moment students enter the classroom to the time they leave. In theory, this makes more sense than just capturing where students are academically at the end of each school year. But it is far from certain that value- added models work in the ways theo- rized. There is a risk associated with 38 E DUCATIONAL L EADERSHIP / N OVEMBER 2009 Value-Added Tests: Buyer, Be Aware The value-added assessment model is one over-the-counter product that may be detrimental to your health.