standardized testing for students

standardized testing for students

fiction
edward w pritchard

The suburban school system borrowed an executive from over at the aerospace company to act as a consultant and suggest reasons why the students were doing poorly on the standardized tests. The consultant had no axe to grind, was an honest man and was practical and astute. He wrote a short report:

The 8th grade students as a group do poorly on the standardized tests. There is much argument and disagreement why depending on the position of those involved. Here's what I found out:

1. The administration is organized and excellent. I interviewed over twenty substitute teachers who work in four or five districts and they praise the attitude and habits and procedures of the administration of the school. The substitute teachers are considered knowledgeable and the most objective source for this evaluation of the administration. Most do not know the administration and are not economically dependent on them, and would have a tendency to criticize more than praise based on the relationship[ management -non union temporary employee] between the parties.

2 Using local Real estate agents as a source from several districts the students are judged on a whole to be from a privileged area with above average economic advantages. It is assumed randomness would distribute the students and households in a normal way based on the sample size of 450 student households and that the Real estate agents would be astute enough to compensate their judgment. The Real estate agents are practical and skeptical people at times and are considered objective.

3. Teachers are considered good by this consultant based on observation and objective and subjective measures by this consultant. Facilities, equipment, building supplies and technology is above average, nationally and much above average locally.

4 School environment is enjoyable and pleasant according to many talked to from various sources including students who would be expected based on anecdotal evidence to dislike 8th grade and criticize the immediate environment. Subjectively this consultant finds the building and school a pleasant place to be as a visitor. Objectively as possible to be measured the school environment is above average in all ways including no policeman needed on grounds and no security which is unusual.

5 Substitute teachers interviewed enjoy working here even though they make less, something, they don't like. Still, they praise the school system, students and permanent teachers, and the environment and facilities. Other than standardized test scores which are low the school rates high on every other indicator of successful administration of running a school.

Conclusions:
Consultant believes primary cause of low student scores as a group is low reading ability by a large percentage of students causing trouble on all standardized testing. Of course some students pass tests and read well. That is a correlation that can be developed later.

Recommendation:
If passing the standardized tests is the measurement that is important to achieve then more time should be spent daily on developing skills to pass standardized tests. Reading and test taking practice daily is advised. Obtain old tests and have each teacher use them daily as a study guide. Other motivation and punishments to teachers, students and administration could be developed over time.

see each one teach one blog 200-april

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