High Stakes Testing: A Question of Responsibility

I tend to keep my mouth shut (most of the time) when the topic of high stakes testing comes up. I learned early in my career that people get so heated about this topic that usually it is not worth it for me to share my opinion--because it tends to differ from most.

I grew up in the land of high stakes testing, New York State. However, in all my 13 years of elementary and secondary schooling in NY, I never heard any one refer to the state assessments and Regents exams as "high stakes tests." I also never heard teachers complain about teaching tested subjects or that they felt they were "teaching to the test." Because NY tests nearly every subject, every year in high school with a state exam the tests are just a part of life. Teachers and students take equal responsibility in the fact that students must pass the tests or...well, there isn't another option students will simply pass the tests. Yes, if a student does not happen to pass a certain number of the Regents exams, then he/she will not graduate, but that isn't the thinking in the minds of the teachers or the students. The focus is on passing the test, not what will happen if students do not. Students in MD are only required to pass 4 state exams in high school. In NY, every student was also required to pass 4 Regents exam in order to receive a NON-Regents diploma. However, if a student want the more "prestigious" Regents diploma he/she had to pass a Regents exam every year in Math and Science, along with additional social studies exams. Hell, I even had to pass a state Regents in Spanish. The bottom line being, there was no way around passing at least 4 of these exams if you wanted to graduate. These were difficult and rigorous tests. Students take them seriously, because they have to.

I recently read this short article in The Examiner about how local schools are racing to prep students for the HSA's. I also read a blog previously posted by a fellow classmate about the flaws with the high stakes testing system. I guess, I'm just a bit confused. We constantly talk about accountability--teacher, student, parent, school district. Over the past two years, I have heard many, if not most, of us talk about how we want our students, especially our high school students, to be more accountable and to take more responsibility for their education. I think the new state policy that requires students to pass 4 HSA's in order to receive a diploma is a step in the right direction. I am not a supporter of NCLB, however, I am all for student accountability.

I am scared for the class of 2009 in all of MD, but especially in Baltimore City. I'm shocked that it has taken something like NCLB to truly hold students and teachers accountable. I mean, what was really going on before? We want students to take academia seriously, yet, until recently they only had to "sit for" major exams. Meaning: they had to show up and write their name on the paper and then they were eligible to receive a diploma. If that is all we ask of them, why and HOW could we have expected them to take the tests seriously? I am fearful of what will happen in 2009 for many students in BCPSS and around the state. However, I am more fearful that MD will repeal the decision, and once again, students will be let off the hook. I think 2009 will be a rude awakening for students, teachers, parents, and school districts in MD. Maybe if the students are finally made to understand that they are actually responsible and are being held accountable for their education things will truly begin to change.

I recently asked a 10th grade student at my school (who I taught creative writing to as a 9th grader) if she had passed the Algebra I HSA, and her response was "I don't know." I was shocked, and said, "You know you have to pass that exam to graduate." She replied, "Whatever." This is just one example, but I really feel like many students around the City still do not grasp the severity and seriousness of these exams. If MD sticks with this policy, they will eventually have to.