Today New York State testing madness begins. For the next twelve days we will have six
testing days and six make-up days, during which children will be spending
approximately 2 hours for each of six days, being tested on tests created by
Pearson Learning and mandated by the state of New York. These tests will determine levels of
intervention students are given and for the first time, a large portion (50%)
of the teachers’ final evaluation will be based on the test results.
Two years ago I wrote on this blog about the
needless stress to which we are subjecting our youth because of the mandated
Grade 3-8 ELA and Math tests. I walked through classrooms, as the teachers and students prepared
for the test, and I saw students tapping on their desks, pulling and twisting
their hair and biting nails. I lamented,
then, about the level of anxiety we are subjecting or our youngest through the testing process. Today I write to express another ludicrousness that is placing another wave of
stress on our children. The stress is
rooted in what has been the byproduct of procedures created by the state for
families who choose to “opt out”.
I have been in the educational arena for
basically all of my life. I have filled
roles as teacher, as student, as principal, as district administrator, as
consultant and as parent—to name a few.
I believe in accountability. I
believe in the power of data to support informed decisions about schools and
students. I believe the Common Core
Standards are good for education. I
believe that tying 50% of a teacher’s evaluation on one test is bad for
education. I believe in partnerships
between schools and homes to create optimal conditions for student
learning. And I believe in the rights of
parents to determine what they feel is in the best interest of their children
both in and out of schools, knowing that sometimes they are a prong of a
partnership to determine the path to what is best and at other times, they have
the final say.
Many of my friends are educators and parents and
I have been privy to multiple discussions by multiple stakeholders about the “opting out” phenomenon that has taken root in NYS at a grass roots level. In some schools and districts the majority of
parents are choosing to have their children not take the NYS 3-8 ELA and Math
tests. Parents, teachers and schools have grappled with the ramifications of a
single test that has tremendous power but has not proven to be a reliable
predictor of really much of anything. One
thing we do know though—the test is rooted in money. And power.
And politics.
However, for the most part, parents are not
rooted in any of this bureaucracy. They
are rooted in their child. And they are
rooted in relationships formed at school.
They are rooted in a partnership with the school for their child. They want what is best for their child. And their answer for how to address what is
best for their child in what they perceive to be a testing debacle is to “opt
out”.
Sounds easy.
Sounds like an option to lift anxiety.
Right? Wrong! The hoops are numerous. And in the end, the onus for opting out lies
on—get this—THE CHILD! The parent can
write a letter to the school asking for their child to not be given the
test. They can say they are “opting
out”. But there really is no provision
for the parent to opt out. A parent can
do one of two things. The parent can
take their child out of school for twelve days (the days that the test is being
administered and the testing make-up days—maybe that could be family vacation
time, I suppose). Or, if the parents don’t want the child to miss the rest of
the instruction that takes place out of the testing and make-up hours of a
school day, they can send their child to school and have the child refuse to take the test when the test is passed to him or her.
This “opt-out” option, is stressful to
all—especially to the youngest of our school partnership—the child. We are asking our children to participate in
civil disobedience. Children have been
taught to obey and appreciate authority.
Yet they have dual authorities giving them differing messages (even
though these two prongs of that partnership—parent and teacher—may actually see
through a very similar lens). Parents
tell the child to say no to the test.
And teachers pass the test to the child. The child has conflicting authority pressing
on them from both sides, creating a level of unnecessary confusion and stress. Children are asked to conform and comply with
their classroom community. Yet, on this
day, while classmates and friends all around are taking the test, the child who
is “opting out” needs to say no and read a book. Or in some cases, just sit there.
For some children the notion of doing
something different than the rest of the class, especially given the nature of
the act as defiant, is impossible. But
to not do what mom or dad tells them they need to do is also impossible. Leaving the child in an impossible situation. Children as young as nine-years-old, are
given this burden. For many nine and ten year olds and, for that matter, for many
thirteen and fourteen year olds, who respect authority and want to be
compliant, who want to be liked and want to be a part of the class community,
being put in this position is untenable.
Asking this of a child is unfair.
It undermines trust. It shatters
partnerships. And it creates ludicrous stress.
For all involved. Especially for
our youngest.
Don't get me wrong. I honor our families that are choosing
to opt-out. It is a viable option in a difficult situation. And I also honor our families
who are choosing to opt-in. Families are
doing their best in a complicated situation.
I honor our teachers who want to do the right thing—who do not want to
add unneeded anxiety to our youngest. They want to
teach. I also honor our administrators who are working
to provide an environment that supports the students taking the test and fills
obligations around test modifications and testing mandates while creating a
system of supports for our students not taking the test. Above
all, I honor our children caught in the middle.
Three years ago I wrote about testing anxiety as New York moved into the high
stakes testing arena. The words I closed
with that blog unfortunately still ring true today…
“The anxiety levels are
high for all concerned stakeholders. I worry for the youngest of our
stakeholders—our children, our students. I worry that we are raising a
generation of anxious children. What a state? Over a test?
Where is the sanity?”
Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for
dedicating space and time for teachers and teachers of literacy to come
together to share ideas, practice and life experience.
