I probably would have ignored a recent smug opinion piece by Beth Kassab in the Orlando Sentinel, who scoffs at parents who choose opting their children out of the tests. But another snotty write-up in a similar vein by Mike Thomas, from Jeb Bush’s Foundation of Excellence, followed quickly on its heels. I’ll start with Thomas.
Thomas likens test-taking to having a colonoscopy or his teeth cleaned and a bunch of other unpleasant but necessary tasks. He tries to teach the rest of us that he would like to opt out of this stuff, but these procedures are good for keeping him healthy. So, in his mind, the tests facing children in Florida are good for them. He seems to believe parents fighting the tests are not doing right by their children.
I get what he’s saying. The trouble is he doesn’t go far enough in his comparison. Let’s put it this way. How would he like to have 100 colonoscopies per year, and in-between those procedures, be prepping every day for the tests! Forget eating at a favorite restaurant. There won’t be any dinners to enjoy with the family either. Prep. Prep. Prep. And will he get real doctors to perform the procedures? Nah. The colonoscopies will be designed by a variety of people who have no medical licenses—maybe David Coleman, Arne Duncan, Bill Gates, et cetera.
I am no longer teaching, but I taught in special education. I am not against testing. Far from it. I always welcomed student assessment. I have administered a variety of tests—including the standardized kind where I assisted students with accommodations. I plowed through valuable courses in undergraduate and graduate school to learn how to, not only administer tests, but to derive meaning from them. I have made my own tests.
So I take tests seriously, although I have always known that no test is perfect, and no test should define a child. I, myself, am not always a good test taker, so I understand what it feels like not to do well on a test.
For two years I worked with students with developmental disabilities, and we used observational tests–different tests, but no less important. They were geared toward understanding how we could make life better for our students. That should always be the true purpose of any test.
The difference between yesterday and today is that I always had time to teach. Testing did not dominate my or my students’ time. My job was never on the line, and while schools and school districts cared about test results, they were not as maniacally obsessed with the tests like they are today. The people who cared most about tests were the parents. I always felt I was accountable first to the student, and second to the parents.
I believe many of the Opt Out parents and educators are not against tests either. A few might not like any tests. That’s their right. But most want to understand and hear how their children are doing in school.
The problem is, they realize the current tests are bad tests. High-stakes tests are being used to privatize public schools. Teachers are being unfairly fired. Tests are also not always good at what they claim they measure. So, if a majority of parents don’t want the tests today, so much so that a good number of them refuse to let their children take the tests, shouldn’t those in charge reconsider the tests? Who are our public schools supposed to serve?
The tests and all that surrounds them are harmful to students and teachers. Or, the tests are the new wave of money-makers, like the PARCC and Smarter Balance, connected to the unproven Common Core State Standards. Many believe these tests are seriously flawed and do not appropriately consider the age development of the child. I have seen no field-testing of such tests. Students are Guinea pigs.
But the most terrible part of today’s testing is how the students themselves are treated throughout the school year. Test prep all the time. In many places there is no recess. Some schools do little, if any, instruction in valuable classes like the arts.
Which brings me to the other opinion piece by Beth Kassab. When I saw her headline, I thought I would agree with what she wrote. “We’ve Officially Lost Our Minds over School Testing.” Certainly I think that’s true! But not for the reasons she states. Kassab is worried about children being used by parents to opt out.
To be honest, it bothers me too to see young children caught up in the testing debate. But I don’t blame the parents. I blame the politicians and so-called education leaders like Florida’s Education Commissioner Pam Stewart who continue to ignore parental concerns about testing. HERE and HERE. She reminds me of a dictator instead of a guardian for the children.
Parents are backed-up against the wall as they fight to have their concerns heard. They believe, and I have to agree, that they are protecting their children from harm. Parents who recognize that high-stakes tests are wrong for their children should have every right to ask that their children not be tested. That it is taking so long for parents to be heard is what is most troubling and what I see as the larger real crisis.
I might add, when I hear of teachers who are torn between speaking out against the test, in what many see as malpractice in their profession, and with getting a much needed paycheck, I have to ask myself, what kind of country are we living in? Why are professional teachers being ignored?
I also disagree with Kassab that Florida’s education program was falling apart before Gov. Jeb Bush arrived. That is a falsehood. But if she wants to play that testing game, she should read the 2012 StateImpact NPR report “13thGrade: How Florida Schools Are Failing to Prepare Students for College,”–following Jeb’s “improvements”– which claims Florida has some of the lowest graduation rates in the country, and graduates who go to college need remedial classes.
These test-obsessed writers are smaller fish in a larger pond of columnists and reporters who hail the tests and diss those who don’t. Thomas also mentions Amanda Ripley’s Twitter comment, “Let’s all play! What would you like to opt your kid out of? It’s a brave new world!” Ripley is a well-known author who writes about education issues. She may do research and she may get her work promoted in the top media outlets, but she is no child expert. And what is her point about play? I take it she is being smug too.
I would ask all three of them what they think about the cruel and unusual testing of students like Ethan Rediske. What do they say to Ethan’s mother, Andrea, who courageously spoke out against the tests while she was mourning the loss of Ethan? Let’s revisit that right now. HERE. We really should not forget Ethan, just because he was Ethan, but many of us highly resent the bad use of bad testing in that situation.
It’s like this. If the administrators and policy makers don’t change the rules when it comes to bad testing, the parents and courageous educators will eventually do it for them.
These columnists need to refresh themselves as to what is happening in schools, or they need to find another topic to write about.
This is part of the anti-parent movement. Denigrate and insult and mock the parents who know enough to opt-out of this. Reward those who are ignorant with praise. They are done abusing teachers. Now on to the parents.
I agree with you. I never liked it when they started using the word stakeholder in regard to schools. It sounded too business-like. I guess we see now they were not referencing parents. Thank you.
You’re absolutely right–parents are not considered stakeholders. Every time I see an educational “stakeholder” meeting in my local community or state, parents are excluded. As if parents have no stake at all in their own child’s education and life. The word “stakeholder” might as well be exchanged for the words “those who financially benefit.”
This may be ‘anti-parent’ but mainly it is ‘anti-public school’.
The tests are horrible! So, Mr. Thomas thinks they are good; he compares them to a colonoscopy. I’ll go with that. The comparison would be that he needs a colonoscopy. We’ll look at your toenails instead. They are a good indicator of overall health. If your toenails look bad, you FAIL Oops. You failed, as did most of your fellow students. These tests are insane. They don’t make sense. I took a practice Pearson test and I was confused. I graduated with Distinction from the University of Virginia! I was unsure about my answers. The choices were a matter of opinion, or I didn’t have enough information.
Interesting comparison Susan. Don’t you think Mr. Thomas knows the privatization agenda for schools? He is working for the Foundation for Excellence. As always, thank you, Susan.
If he’s working for the Foundation of Excellence, he’s fully aware of privatizing public education. This is a Jeb Bush foundation and he falls in line with those who are trying to do so. 🙁
Absolutely, Tracy! Very insightful. Thank you.
I understand when news organizations run alternative points of view. But what about the views of parents choosing to opt out? The questions raised about the sheer volume and limited usefulness of the testing program are valid questions. I believe the opt-out parents have a better understanding about what’s going on in schools than anyone, including these two writers who represent vested interests. Let’s give the opt-out parents a regular column in the paper. Give them a chance to explain their ideas. After all, testing is a multi-million-dollar business, built on tax revenue. And test administration, preparation, materials, and services now dominate the time and energy of public schools. The misuse and overuse of testing has become the most newsworthy issue in most communities today. Teachers, parents, grandparents, school boards – and others interested in education – are talking about it every day. Let’s not rush to dismiss it, as these two have done, but instead find out what’s behind it. Give it a full airing.
Mike, I absolutely agree! Where are parents and teachers fairly represented in the media? How many negative headlines have we had to endure about failing schools? How many programs like Education Nation? The reporters I know either ignore the other side of the argument or they support the reformers. Bring on the debates! Thank you!
If, in a neighborhood, enough people fail to prep for the colonoscopy since they don’t have money for laxatives, their colonoscopy center will be taken over and the doctors get replaced by 22 year old kids who were trained for 5 weeks for the job. The new operators of the colonoscopy center claim that in 5 years, people’s bowels will be cleaner due to the high performance of the kid-doctors.
Due to billionaires’ funded heavy propaganda, very few people will be left who fail to see the connection between doctors’ colonoscopy performance and clean bowels, and suggest that giving poor people money for laxatives is the appropriate solution,
I think I know some neighborhoods like this, Máté! Thank you for your comment.
Nancy, I can’t help but wonder how many of these pro testing columnists actually have kids in public school? I find most who scream for testing and reforms do not.
Of course! That’s always the question few reformers acknowledge. Or those who never went to public school, or who never had their children in them, actually create the harmful policies public school students have to live with.
Thomas says:
“I want to know how well my kid is doing in algebra. I want to know how smart she is compared to all the other kids in the state. The same goes for reading, writing and science. This information will let me know if she is on track for being first in line when the University of Florida opens its doors to incoming freshman. Or if we will have to settle for Harvard or Yale.”
Not clear still if his kid was in public school though.
I have no idea if Kasaab has children. I don’t know anything about her. And I don’t think Amanda Ripely has children.
Thanks Lyn!
I believe Kasaab’s oldest is like 3. She doesn’t have any idea of what she speaks.
Interesting. I wonder if she will change her outlook when her child starts school. Or if she will go the private school route. Thank you, Tracy.
Mike Thomas has a daughter in public elementary school. http://excelined.org/2015/03/10/waffles-testing-dads-recipe/
First of all, SMUG is the exact word I would use to describe both articles. Second, Beth Kassab did not have the facts correct when she wrote her piece. Her story started with a mom who called authorities because the admin at her child’s school would not release her child to her. Unless there is an emergency (Lockdown due to criminal activity or severe weather), no school official has the right to hold a child “captive” otherwise. So, to me, her argument was not relevant. Testing is what “jumped” the shark”, not opting out. I’m afraid that opting out is only getting started. And that’s a good thing. Thank you for validating what so many parents are feeling!
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BnC6IABJXOI
Great overview!
Thank you for sharing, Tim. Máté, I like what he says about disaggregated data and test score comparisons.
And just how many colonoscopies do you need in one year? In August, you begin prepping for your colonoscopy. You prep every day, every week. Along the way, you have several sigmoidoscopies for practice. Somewhere in the spring, you finally have your colonoscopy. Then you prep some more, go home for a couple of months, and start the whole process over again in August.
Ha! I don’t want to get carried away with colonoscopy talk, but John I really think your analogy is much better than mine! Thank you.
If you test someone on material they are trying to learn, the process of recalling will help strengthen the memory better than more study on the topic. This means that when you are trying to learn something, you should build in self-testing (recall) to be a more effective learner. The big problem with the test and punish movement is that they are one-size-fits-all tests and don’t make any effort to test kids on what they should know. How anyone can think this a good idea is beyond me. Look for my summary of Diane Ravitch’s “Reign of Error” tomorrow at http://DrDougGreen.Com
The tests punish children and set them up to be failures. No test should do that. Thanks, Doug.
i read a response to the “colonoscopy” comment on another site that bears repeating: what if he had a colonoscopy, but the results weren’t known for six or more months? And the doctor was not allowed to read the results–she just got a very general report that “70% of the patients are not OK.” Even if getting a slightly more specific report that, ” Patient 19875 is not OK.” Nothing timely, or specific enough to act upon. What if the doctor loses her job because the perfectly legitimate colonoscopies show that a high number of patients have some problems? Could there be something wrong with the tests? Interpretation of the tests? Something else?
Awful. I used to to get especially irritated when the test results didn’t come in until after students went home for the summer. I think it is still that way in many places. Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
As a teacher, I was compulsive about getting test results back at the beginning of the next class. I had a perfect record for my entire career on this effort. The problem with the state tests is that they don’t set the cut points until after the geeks in the back room and the policy makers sift through the results and decide what results they want. The tests are also designed to sort rather than find out if the kids know something. If you don’t know why, find someone hip to item response theory to explain it. Criterion referenced tests can be useful, but the state tests have a norm reference feel even if the people responsible might not admit it.