Let's play Sec. of Ed. Says!

Today, a well-known educator shared her recent experience in Dover with two auditoriums of teachers. Here's her story:
At a RTTT meeting, Sec. of Ed. says:  Imagine a circle filled with bubbles.  These bubbles are your high achievers, the kids who always pass the test. (Pardon the Ruditmentary drawings, they are mine.)

Now imagine your circle surrounded by bubbles.  Look at the blue bubbles.  Think of these bubbles as the students who failed the test.

Now, you need to focus on those bubbles just outside the circle. These are the students almost passed the test.  These are the students that you really focus on.  THESE BUBBLES, THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THE BIGGEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK!

Do you find this story appalling?   

The Educator did.

Even if you pour all your resources into the bubbles on the fringe of the circle, even if you drive them to pass the test; the minute you raise the cut scores, as they did in New York, failure rate goes up.  That's because it's not enough the drill the students into just passing the test.  They have to master to the material.  And it's certainly not acceptable to only teach to a portion of your children!  If you're a classroom teacher, then you know you are responsible to all of your students, not just the ones who almost pass the test!

This method is a fallacy.

The whole damn analogy disgusts me.