Grade-School reform feedback loop
Today in 'think like an economist' -- incentives matter:
Hypothesis: these new tests are measuring the right things and that teaching to the test is an improvement over teaching one's own possibly-haphazard curriculum.
Data: every teacher casually encountered just has no notion that this Reach For The Top business could even in theory accomplish anything. It's just more hoops to jump through.
Analysis: given that the thing that is being measured seems to be the wrong thing, it seems like the changes are worse than nothing. Pre-reform: teachers try to do the right thing, but who knows whether they do it or not. Post-reform: teachers are now being judged on the wrong thing, so they have to focus on that instead of what they think is the right thing.
Maybe the average teacher is relying on slanted and inaccurate information from their union leaders here. But the people who are actually making the policy are either making no effort to explain the point of the policy, or are unable to communicate with the people "on the front lines".