This is a sobering article that discusses Baltimore’s progress (or lack thereof) towards reaching NCLB’s 100% standard by 2014. The term sobering may be an understatement when we consider that “90% of Baltimore’s elementary and middle schools fell short of academic targets on state assessments this year.”
To me, this article is upsetting for reasons that may not be quite as obvious. Our students' scores on the MSA matter little to me. It’s a poor test with frightening implications—teachers now have the overwhelming pressure to “teach to the test,” using any means necessary to make sure their students will score proficient or advanced on a multiple choice exam that relies on questionable standards and even more questionable measures of excellence. Students are unarguably getting a worse education, tied soley to passing state tests. What goes by the wayside is often, well, everything else: novel studies, creative thinking, innovation, engaging discussions, and the arts—some of the very things in our public education system that, in the past, have helped to make our nation great.
My concern, then, is the implication of the most likely reality that Baltimore City Public Schools (and most other school districts across the country) will not reach the unrealistic 100% goal by the 2013-2014 school year, only to face the demoralization of being labeled a failing school system, and what’s worse, all of the sanctions that accompany such a designation, including loss of funding. Is this truly the best method we can come up with for fixing broken systems?
Sadly, none of this has much to do with how much ACTUAL learning, quality instruction, and college preparedness is occurring in our schools. But of course, the article doesn’t address this point… and neither does NCLB.
1 comment:
Lydia,
I completely agree with you. MSA scores matter little to me as well (as an indicator of learning) and I definitely fear the teaching-to-the-test mentality that seemed to be rampant where I went to high school. Truly, teaching our kids test-taking skills and/or focusing on the 13 major reading skills that the MSA tests does our students a great disservice. My hope is to give my students a great education, which will then translate to good test scores. As Ravitch argues, the knowledge instilled by a good education should be transferable, no matter what test has to be taken or paper has to be written. Yours was a really thoughtful, well-written post that should be on every teacher's mind as test scores become more and more important to our school districts.
Post a Comment