As I posted on numerous Social Media websites, the Michigan Department of Education has announced its plans for changes to their traditional assessment piece, the MEAP. Beginning this spring, students will take the M-STEP in English (3-8, 11), Math (3-8, 11), Science (4, 7, 11), and Social Studies (4, 7, 11). Change has become one of the very few constants in education. Not only will the M-STEP be replaced as early as 2016 by a new assessment tool, many state's have proposed to do away with the Common Core Curriculum. In my previous educational experience in North Carolina, students were subjected to numerous standardized test administered by the state. In elementary and middle school, students were administered End-of-Grade Tests in English, Math, and Science. High school students took End-of-Course Tests in English II, Math 1, and Biology; as well as NC Final Exams in all other tests at the end of each class. Sprinkle in field tests, WIDA assessments for English Language Learners, and the ACTs (PLAN, EXPLORE, and ACT). I am pleased with how the state of Michigan is addressing the need for more student assessments compared to when I first taught in Michigan back in 2005. Standardized testing accomplishes two main goals: one is accountability for teachers and two is essential data for educators. By accountability for educators, I do not mean using test scores to judge the performance of teachers. Using test scores to judge teacher performance is like using crop yield to judge the effectiveness of a farmer without accounting for droughts, storms, or disease. When I say accountability, I am referring to the fact that having an assessment model at the end of a course causes a teacher to ensure that they teach their entire curriculum. In 2005, I could have taught the Civil War for the entire year and there would have been no assessment tool holding me accountable. The second part of student assessments is perhaps the most important: data. The result of student assessments, such as the NWEA, gives educators essential information on the strengths and weaknesses of our students. Effective teaching begins with assessing the strengths and weaknesses of students and differentiating their instruction to improve and accelerate their skills. Without data from standardized tests, much of this important information would not be available. Standardized testing is not a negative component of education, as long as we don’t let it. Over testing will taint the data pool and give us very little information that can be deemed useful. With all of this said, we cannot make Common Core out to the enemy. Standardized testing was here before Common Core, and will be here after it. Rejecting Common Core will only cost the state more money we don’t have to replace the standards and to align our assessments with whatever standards we agree upon. Instead, we need to embrace what we have and work together to find the most effective way to maximize student learning. After all, it is the development of our children that we should be the most concerned with.
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AuthorPrincipal, Alpena High School Archives
March 2021
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