Be the change you wish to see...

Standardized testing season is upon us, and once again, I’d like to offer a few thoughts and observations from the point of view of a teacher, parent, taxpayer, and engaged citizen. You might remember that last year I was adamantly opposed to the Common Core standards and the PARCC test.  This year I have had some time to implement curriculum aligned to the standards, to evaluate the standards, and to see my students and my own children meeting and exceeding the standards.  As a result, I can honestly say, for 10 year-old children and older, who are fed and clothed and living in safe shelter in a safe neighborhood where they can travel to school each day without fear, for children living lives rich with diverse experiences, the standards are alright, even good. For example, the first seventh grade reading standard asks for students to: “Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.” The writing standards require students to evaluate evidence, to cite credible evidence to support their claims with logical reasons and evidence, to recognize bias, to acknowledge opposing claims, and to respond to those opposing perspectives with well-chosen, relevant evidence. 

One of the things I have taught my students through our reading, writing and research work is to suspend judgment when formulating an opinion and to evaluate and weigh research-based evidence before taking sides on important issues. These are critical life skills, and I am happy to report that nearly all of my students and my own children are mastering these skills, which are essential to maintaining an informed democracy.

However, when evaluating the standardized tests designed to measure students’ mastery of these skills taught, my assessment is not so rosy.  For starters, the PARCC tests take approximately 12 hours to administer, along with about 3 or more hours required to train the kids how to use the technology and to practice. 15 hours might not seem like much to you, but that’s 15 hours of instructional time lost in an already jam-packed school year. 15 hours is a small number, though, when you consider the hundreds of hours administrators, teachers and tech support staff have to put in to actually schedule, coordinate, ready the network, computers, iPads, and prepare for the tests. 15 hours is also a small number when compared to the millions of dollars being spent to implement these tests in the state of Illinois alone. 

And what do children and communities actually get for these arduous hours and excessive dollars spent?  Not much. Test results are not returned for about six months, so that by the time the scores come back, students have moved on to the next grade, which means teachers can’t reteach or remediate for those kids who failed to meet the standards. In addition, my students and my own children know that the tests have absolutely no bearing on their lives, their grades, nor their future placement in school.  In fact, their performance on these tests might improve or hurt their community’s property values (which I always think seems like an awful lot of pressure to put on the backs of 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15-year-olds), and/or it might help or hurt their school and their teachers. Some children may be led to believe that these test scores will impact their future placement, but they are being misled, and that troubles me.  I simply don’t believe in lying to kids. And why would we lie about this?  Only to “trick” them into trying?

True story:  Last week, as I was “prepping” my students for the tests, I encouraged them, saying, “I know that if you take the test and you do your best, you’ll do just fine. We’ve worked hard all year, and I know you can do these things.” One little seventh grade boy on an IEP raised his hand and asked, “What if we try our hardest and we still don’t do well? Will you lose your job? Will our school get in trouble?”  He was truly worried; I could see it on his face. I assured him that I would be okay if he didn’t do well, but my heart hurt a little bit. This twelve-year-old child was truly worried that if he didn’t “perform” well on this test, I might be punished, or even lose my job. This is not okay; he’s just a kid.  He should not be responsible for my performance evaluation, but that’s the situation we have created for our children. This high-stakes, pressure intense scenario hurts our kids and takes the joy out of learning. 

In the district where I teach, hundreds of students refused the test last year--about 50% of the students in our building did not take the test.  Our own children also refused the test; they were two of three children in their entire school to “opt out.”  Instead, they read books. For fifteen hours, our kids had the freedom and luxury to read books at school. They loved it, and I loved it. They read some beautiful books--I Am Malala, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,  Where the Red Fern Grows...

Yet this year, as I can see and feel the Illinois State Board of Education breathing down our necks, I have debated whether or not our own kids should take the tests.  Last night, Olivia and I discussed the pros and cons of actually taking the tests after dinner.  “It would be good practice for future tests,” I said.

“Mom, I have been taking standardized tests since first grade.  I take tests all the time. I don’t need any more practice,” she said.  “I know how to take all kinds of tests.”

“I think you would do well, and it might help your school,” I said.

And then I actually said, "Everyone else in your class will be taking them.  You and Jack won't really make much of a difference in the anti-testing movement." 

I actually said, "Everyone else is doing it, so maybe you should too!" omg.

“15 hours, Mom! The only way can change these stupid tests is if people stand up and say no. This is a waste of our time. I'd rather be learning something. Reading would be a more valuable use of my time."

As you can see, my child is meeting and exceeding the standards.  Because I am not legally allowed to "opt her out," she will again have my permission to refuse to test if she chooses.