Lawmakers hear teachers on testing, but not yet committed to changes

Despite a chorus of complaints about over-testing in schools and a recent act by Congress to relieve the pressure on educators, no Georgia legislator is stepping up to change state laws on the matter.

With the next session of the Georgia General Assembly set to start Monday, state Superintendent Richard Woods raised an alarm this week, saying there is a "growing crisis" as new teachers see what they're up against and head for the exits.

Nearly half of new hires quit within five years, according to the state’s teacher certification agency. Their top reasons, according to a new survey by Woods and his Department of Education: the proliferation of tests and the way teachers are judged by the results.