Test Kids, Don't Punish Schools

A bill which encompasses President George W. Bush's hopes for change in education was approved unanimously last Thursday by a bipartisan Senate committee. If passed, the bill would require standardized testing by states for all public school students in grades three through eight for both reading and math. It would also force states to allow federal testing, based on national standards, of a sample population of these students. Furthermore, the plan would penalize schools that did not meet government standards.

Diagnostic testing has a definite appeal. It is essential that the state and federal governments ensure that elementary and middle school students are being educated in the basic skills of reading and math, and that they are being given the opportunity to succeed in future learning. The state tests will show the relative progress of different schools, and the national sampling will allow comparisons among state standards. It is important to know what extra help is needed for students, and testing the basics can provide this information.

However, under the Bush plan, schools that did not meet federal standards would be faced with penalties and even possible closure. High-stakes consequences such as the loss of federal funding would have devastating effects on already under-funded schools. The schools need additional funding and the tools to improve in order to prepare their students for the exams. The Bush plan would not do enough to help these struggling schools, but might force them to shut down before they have the opportunity to best teach their students. Shutting down schools or cutting off their funding might motivate administrators for future change, but there's no guarantee that the new schools will be any better, and the damage done to the learning process by the transition will be too high.

There are inherent standards that should be met by students--all elementary school students should receive a solid foundation in both reading and math. However, standardization often forces teachers to base their curriculum on an upcoming exam. When teachers are restricted to "teaching for the test," students education becomes narrowly focused towards performance on these exams. It is therefore important that the tests, which are not yet written, should stress basic knowledge rather than a set curriculum or SAT-like "test-taking ability." America's teachers need the freedom to teach students using the methods that best fit their particular classrooms.

Education is an important issue which requires much attention by this administration, but the Bush plan should adopt constructive--not punitive--reforms.