As promised in my last column, we turn our attention to the role of testing in today’s schools. There are many opinions being expressed in the media and it can be difficult to sort out the educational and political angles to the issue. An understanding of what is happening in our schools may be a good starting point.
We test for a number of reasons. We use norm-referenced tests to compare the achievement of a student to others of the same age. In Westfield, we use the GRADE (Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation) and GMADE(Group Math Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation)as they giveus a comparison as to how our students are faring compared to peers across the nation. The results give parents a sense of their child’s achievement is specific content areas. And, it breaks scores down into specific content allowing teachers to offer remediation as needed. Also, an annual norm-referenced test has been required of districts receiving Title I funds.
Like all public schools in Massachusetts, Westfield administers the MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) on an annual basis to students from Grades 3 – 10. This test is a criteria-referenced test and specifically measures a student’s knowledge of grade level standards. The results are indicators of alignment between the state standards (grade level lists of what students are expected to know) and what is being taught in our classrooms. As of this year, our programs are aligned with the most recent state standards. In the future, all districts will phase out the MCAS as it is being replaced with a computer-based exam called the PARCC (Partnership for the Readiness of College and Career) that will give us more timely information and will cost less. Currently the state spends approximately 46 million dollars on testing on an annual basis.
Westfield also uses ongoing assessments to monitor student progress during the year. These measures include DIBELS (The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills), Benchmark tests in Literacy and Math at least 3 times per year and ongoing teacher assessments such as quizzes, tests, presentations and projects.
It is important to monitor student learning as students progress through the curriculum and to have comparisons to peers across the state and nation. We are working hard to develop our capacity to translate data into teacher, student and family friendly reports. In our classrooms, we are urging teachers to differentiate the curriculum so that students receive instruction in the areas that are needed. In the same way we should ‘differentiate’ on who takes the available tests to measure what we need to know about student learning. I am not convinced that all students need to take the MCAS or PARCC every year if they are making progress as evidenced by other measures. A doctor chooses tests that are needed to diagnose difficulty and educators need to develop a protocol to do the same. Testing is not the treatment; it guides the plan for treatment.
It is time to develop new protocols that are based on what we need to know about student learning. Perhaps we could alternate years between the MCAS/PARCC and GRADE/GMADE. And similar to a recheck at the doctor’s, we can administer tests annually to those students who had not made adequate progress in a prior test. Surely we must bring common sense to the forefront. The current system uses too much instructional time, creates stress for students and staff, costs a great deal of money and provides redundant information about some of our students. Let’s test those students who show ‘symptoms’ of difficulty and develop a ‘common sense’ protocol for the others.
