gov't took 5 years to confirm what any fifth grader knows in 5 minutes:

That the only good educational software is the "educational discount" software that you get from the Apple Store.

A report put out last night by the US Dept of Education found that educational software had exactly no impact on standardized test scores. Of course, the Washington Post looked deep for answers to this seeming paradox:

In classrooms, the programs -- such as "iLearn Math" and "Achieve Now" -- are used in different ways, depending on teachers.

For instance, some teachers may sit their students at computer workstations, explain how to use a software program to augment his or her curriculum, and check in to see if reasonable progress is being made

or

other teachers may cut up the software boxes and let the children wear them as hats and gloves, burn the instruction booklets in elaborate pagan-like rituals, and play ultimate frisbee with the cd-roms.

-j