Why so much testing? Answers from an expert
"The new Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment II will be high-stakes for high school students. The new graduation test (replacing the Minnesota Basics Standards Test) is going to be included in the MCAs."
In an interview with ThreeSixty reporter Annie Wood, David Heistad, executive director of research, evaluation and assessment for Minneapolis Public Schools, discussed why students are required to take so many standardized tests and the value of classroom preparation for the test.
Q. Why do we take so many tests?
A. All of the tests you take have different purposes.
Q. What are the purposes of the main tests?
A. The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) is required by the federal No Child Left Behind law… Schools and districts are held accountable for how students do. The individual student isn’t held accountable.
The Northwest Achievement Levels Test’s (NALT) main purpose is for program improvement…and to see if the learning gaps between different groups of students are closing.
Q. Basically, these tests don’t affect us as individuals?
A. NALTs really aren’t used for accountability for individual students at all. The new Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment II will be high-stakes for high school students. The new graduation test (replacing the Minnesota Basics Standards Test) is going to be included in the MCAs.
The current 11th and 12th graders (will still take) the old MBST…10th, 9th, 8th and all the way back are going to take this new graduation test that’s in the MCAs.
Q. We hear a lot about the federal No Child Left Behind Act. What tests does the law require?
A. It requires grades 3 through 8 testing in reading and math and then at least one grade in high school for reading and math. Other assessments are up to the state.
Q. What happens to schools that do well on these tests?
A. We reward [schools that are “beating the odds”] in the district…Schools get a little extra money and teachers get increased pay based on those tests.
Q. What happens to schools that don’t make adequate yearly progress (AYP) on the tests?
A. (After two years of a school not making AYP, parents get the option to switch their child’s school.) If it’s the third year of being on the list for not making AYP, parents will get money to get a tutor.
(NOTE: After four years, a plan is made to restructure or close the school. After five years, the school can be closed.)
Q. Don’t struggling schools get more funding?
A. There’s only so much money and usually the money runs out before we get a chance to get [tutoring] to all the kids. If the federal government would provide more money, we’d be able to serve more kids. There’s tons of money being spent on the tests…They don’t spend enough money to help schools and help kids do well on the tests.
Q. Are tests used to compare students’ progress nationally?
A. States set the standards differently. If you were “partially proficient” in Minnesota, you’d be “proficient” in Texas. In Massachusetts, you’d have to have a really high score to pass the test, like in the 75th percentile, whereas in Tennessee you might only need to be at the 30th percentile to pass the test.
They haven’t made them equal, which it makes it very hard to compare state to state…to see which areas of the country are doing better. You really can’t use the tests for that.
Q. Why aren’t we using different types of assessments that might be more effective and accurate, like essay, oral or project-based assessments?
A. They cost more. The cheapest test is the bubble-sheet test where you just fill in the answer blanks and scan it into a machine that automatically gives you the answer. It’s a lot cheaper than hiring people to read papers.
Q. How much time are classes spending on test prep?
A. In a study I completed in second-grade classes… it ranged from no test prep at all to an hour and a half a day before the time of the test. What I found out was it was a huge variety depending on the school and the teacher.
Q. Do you recommend that classes do test prep?
A. My recommendation is just to spend 10 minutes on a couple of different days on what comes with the test…but not to do all of that test prep because it’s not been shown to improve performance…it’s not good instruction and it doesn’t prepare kids. I think you can overdo it.
Q. Any testing advice for students?
A. The best advice is just to not get too uptight about these tests…The best way to learn reading [comprehension] is to read a diversity of books. And for math, keep up with daily assignments.
For test-preparation tips from the Minnesota Department of Education, click here:
Comments
I personally disagree with the idea of giving more federal money to schools who do well on the MCA tests and giving less money to schools who really need help. I believe that more money should go to schools who’s students struggle with the MCA tests so that the schools can provide more assistance and create more programs to help the students raise their test scores.
i think tests in schools are useless and a waste of time.it’s way too much for us poor kids and puts too much presure on our young minds…
I myself hate testings but tests puts you in with students your level. If there was no tests no one would actually learn anything and schools would have been caotic…..
I disagree with all of the above well some test's are ok but you guys are just piling us up with work so thats why we ditch because we dont wont to deal with all of this pressure that you guys are shoving down our throats.
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