New York's answer to the problem of higher standards was the requiring of traditional Regents Exams of all students for graduation. Despite some manipulation of the Exams, it was a turn in the right direction - away from portfolios, etc. and toward standardized testing. This is now causing panic among many educators, students, and parents who feel that this would be too demanding. Some school districts, in the hope of better preparing the students, have begun dropping such tests as the CAP and the Iowa in favor of such others as Terra Nova. Others are protesting to the State Ed Dept, demanding that special consideration be given to their children. The Dept. has already announced that not only special ed. students, but students not fluent in English will be given special consideration. It would like to go at least through the initial series of Regents to see just what the results indicate. But the hue and cry has led to a proposal being introduced in the State Assembly by two downstate assemblymen intended to let schools provide alternative assessment for students to meet all Regents education standards. The proposal will be known as the Excellence In Education Standards and Assessment Act of 1999. Here are some quotes from the press release on the proposal from Assemblyman Brodsky's office:
"The Regents standards are a step in the right direction. The concern we are addressing is the use of one standardized, time pressured, system-wide test as the only means of determining whether educational standards have been met," assemblyman Brodsky said. "This Act will permit schools to create alternative testing methods which will prevent students, who have a unique learning style, from being denied their diploma....
"Standardized testing is an important method of judging our students and our schools," Brodsky said. "But we should not disenfranchise students who don't test well on standardized exams. That is an unintended and unjust result...."
"My experience as a former teacher has reinforced my belief that our school system needs to establish new forms of testing and assessment," Assemblyman Green said. "As the State Dept of Ed seeks to institute new standards, I believe that the Legislature should ensure new forms of testing and assessment as articulated in Assemblyman's Brodsky's bill"
"This Act will allow school districts to create testing methods to compliment (sic!) the Regents standardized exams," Assemblyman Brodsky stated. "These additional tests will be approved by Regional Assessment Panels...."
"Under the Act, school districts could design Individual Assessment Plans, as an alternative or a supplement to state-wide standardized exams. These alternatives could also include segmented retesting for students who fail part of the Regents exam....
"Thousands of students with demonstrated competency will be denied diplomas under the current plan," Assemblyman Brodsky stated. "This Act provides an alternative for students whose performance on standardized tests does not fairly measure their ability, while preserving the rigorous educational standards set by the Board of Regents."
I might add that the results of the Regents Exams do not have to be averaged into the class grade, although they must be passed to graduate. It's positions like this that led to the proliferation of the OBE idea. NY residents are urged to contact their assemblymen to protest the proposal before it becomes a bill.
By the way, can anyone suggest an alternative and superior test to Terra Nova to replace CAT and Iowa in the lower grades?
Aldo Bernardo, Ph.D.