[regional_school] Authentic Accountability for Public Schools

From: Dan Drmacich <dandrmacich@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Denise Bartalo <denisebartalo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Bill Bendschneider <bamboo789@xxxxxxx>, Carolyn Bennett <cwriter85@xxxxxxx>, Mary Berger <mpresber@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Wasa Bouphavong <daboupha@xxxxxxxxx>, G Brown <gjb0145@xxxxxxxxx>, Amy Brown <scottvbrown@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Pat Cavanaugh <cavanaughpat22@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Jason Charno <jasoncharno42@xxxxxxxxxxx>, A Colon <aacolon@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, Rochelle Corey <archer14611@xxxxxxx>, Deana Darling <jddarling@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Deana Darling <darlin3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Brian Erway <brian_erway@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Karen Fisher <fishekh@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Dennis Francione <d.francione@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Shalanda Garfield <Shalonda_Garfield1@xxxxxxxxx>, Lynn Gatto <lynn.gatto@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Nancy Gersh <nancygersh@xxxxxxx>, RJ Glomboski <parallax@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Synthia Green <sng4979@xxxxxxxx>, Richard Greene <richard_greene@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Gretchen Haag <gretchenhaag@xxxxxxxxx>, Shawn Haarer <drhaarer@xxxxxxxxx>, Kate Hathaway <kaytea@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Kyra Hawn <khawn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Joseph Henderson <jhenderson11@xxxxxxxxx>, Sara Hughes <sara@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, Julia Kantor <julia.kantor@xxxxxxxxx>, Jack Langerack <jlanger0@xxxxxxx>, Barb Lemcke <b_lemcke@xxxxxxxxx>, Joan LoCurto <locurto135@xxxxxxxxx>, Tom Mackey <tmackey@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Jennifer Malinchak <jenjenfuller@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Katheryn McCullough <katmccullough@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Gena Merliss <merliss@xxxxxxxxx>, Jessica Metras <jessicametras@xxxxxxxxx>, Nancy Monachino <nmonachino@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Gwynne Mosch <Gwynne.mosch@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Barbara Moynihan <barbara.moynihan@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Kevin Murray <kmurray@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Jessie Nimeh <jgnimeh@xxxxxxxxx>, Maureen Nupp <Maureennupp@xxxxxxxxx>, Anne-Pat Nuzback <Anne-Pat_Nuzback@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Rich Ognibene <richard_ognibene@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Tom Pappas <tjp18@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Sheila Pearlman <yspearlman@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Norreen Pelusio <njpelusio@xxxxxxx>, Pamela Pruitt <pamela.pruitt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Todd Pschierer <psch811@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Kari Ritter <kritter84@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Rosemary Rivera <rrivera@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Emily Roberts <emilymarkelle@xxxxxxx>, Peter Rosenthal <prosenthal@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Scott Schaefer <mister_schaefer@xxxxxxxxx>, Chojy Schroeder <chojy.schroeder@xxxxxxxxx>, Sharon Silvio <ssilvio@xxxxxxx>, Pete Smith <petersmith71@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Ralph Spezio <rspezio@xxxxxxxxx>, Mathew Taber <sundevil108@xxxxxxxx>, Leslie Vermeulen <ldvermeulen@xxxxxxxxxxx>, Jennifer Wheeler <jennifer_wheeler@xxxxxxxx>, Mary Wilkins <mtkwilkins@xxxxxxxxx>, Thomas Witmer <tbwitmer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Ruth Young-Card <cardjrb@xxxxxxx>, Lee Zelazny <lee.zelazny@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:41:07 -0700 (PDT)











--- On Wed, 4/15/09, Lynn Ellingwood <lellingw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: Lynn Ellingwood <lellingw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Authentic Accountability for Public Schools
To: 
Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2009, 12:00 AM




Authentic Accountability for Public Schools

A veteran teachers points out that in the two decades that she was a public 
school math teacher, there was never 
a time when test results were useful in guiding instruction. We need more 
teachers to speak out about the absence of clothes on the emperor. 

By Claudia Ayers 

What the world needs now is to restore self-respect to those who have lost 
it and to restrain it in those who have it in overabundance. 

In our state this month, public school kids will take their so-called CST’s, 
the California Standards (achievement) Tests. The many adults who will rally 
these children to “do their best” with a wide variety of rewards should 
really know better by now, because the research on standardized testing is 
abundant and clearly against the practice. (For proof, simply google: 
standardized testing hurts kids.) 

If each child is unique, then standardized testing in a few subjects gives 
us little useful information from the point of view of an individual child 
with a complex of interests and abilities. Nor does a collection of data 
from these tests give more information about a school, or a school district, 
than would be learned more easily by analyzing the socio-economic
information for the region. 

In the two decades that I was a public school math teacher, there was never 
a time when test results were useful in guiding instruction. Nor did the 
results ever inform my school or district about anything of note relative to 
curriculum or planning. This is because standardized testing data simply has 
no real significance relative to authentic teaching or learning. 

Real learning (the stuff that is experiential, creative, or relating to 
critical thinking and problem solving) leads to discussion, analysis, 
presentations, debates and collaborative efforts. The focus on standardized 
testing pulls in the opposite direction: solitary memorization of facts…and 
this will increasingly be the focus of education so long as raising test 
scores is a school’s primary goal. How sad. Why do so many education leaders 
refuse to see this? 

Parents, it’s up to you. You have the right to opt your own children out of 
these expensive, useless CST tests. Take them on an outing if you can while 
these tests are being administered. I figured out how much damage these 
tests were doing to self-esteem and to real learning when my own daughters 
were in high school. In a letter to their Principal, I requested that they 
be allowed to study in the library during testing and my requests were 
honored. They focused on real learning. (I had much earlier specifically 
told my girls that I did not care about their grades, only that they enjoyed 
learning). Both daughters have since graduated from the University of 
California. 

Only 10% of our public school students can score in the top 10% on these 
tests. This may make them feel even more terrific about themselves, as they 
are undoubtedly already successful on many academic fronts. (For the record, 
some “big headed” kids are not so much fun to be around.) However, 50% of 
our students statewide will score in the bottom half … and these kids are 
likely to take it hard. Many just give up and drop out. Many have the
wonderful gift of bilingualism, but that is not tested. In fact, it is a 
quality that pulls down standardized test scores! Blows to self-respect like 
these are hard to surmount, especially if the “message” on testing is always 
on “high alert” from school administrators. 

That state policy and dollars contribute to child endangerment like this 
will never cease to amaze me and to motivate me to help get the word out 
that standardized testing hurts kids. Teacher friends have repeatedly told 
me about kids of all ages who cry during these tests out of fear and 
frustration. I have witnessed it myself. 

Instead, let us strive for authentic school accountability. Good schools 
have high scores on parent and student satisfaction surveys, high graduation 
rates, and highly nutritious cafeteria foods that support brain function. 
True educational leaders will be advocating for changes like these, and they 
will push back against Federal and State programs involving massive amounts 
of standardized testing. 

Claudia Ayers was a public school teacher for 20 years until her recent 
retirement from Aptos High. Her first career was as an environmental 
advocate, first as an Intergovernmental Program Analyst for Governor Jerry 
Brown, later on staff with of a variety of public interest organizations. 
She may be contacted at claudia.ayers@xxxxxxxxx
— Claudia Ayers

2009-04-11

[regional_school] Authentic Accountability for Public Schools

Other related posts: