"In these days, when a high school diploma is at many places considered proo=
f=20
of readiness for college, there has to be some sort of filter to ensure that=20
such is indeed the case. I agree that graduation should not be preconditione=
d=20
on passing a single test. There should be *several* assessments, which may o=
r=20
may not take the form of standardized tests (hopefully not). If a student is=20
to receive a certification (HS diploma) of having achieved certain=20
objectives, then there needs to be some objective measure of having met them=
,=20
and if the certification is supposed to represent having met all of them,=20
then the student shouldn't get the certification until all have been met. I=
t=20
has become increasingly clear that simply passing a series of courses is=20
insufficient. I'm not a fan of standardized tests, but something is needed."
So then if we continue this mode of thought, after a person completes a=20
series of courses in college, it would then follow that they would need to=20
take a test or series of tests ... before being able to receive=20
their B.A. Degree, Master's Degree, Ph.D. Since we are people who didn't=20
have to contend with such mandated tests to obtain our degrees ... it's=20
easier for us to say other people need to take such tests to prove their=20
knowledge before obtaining their degrees.=20
The author of the original post stated some very good points ,which I agree=20
have an extremely high chance of becoming reality. Some of which are:
=95 How can four years of learning and growing be assessed by =09a single=20
standardized test?=20
=95 The material on the MCAS is very specific. For students to =09do well,=20
teachers must re-design their curriculums to =09teach to the test.=20
=95 Districts and school administators, eager to show high =09scores, have=20
pressured teachers to create units based on =09the material.
=95=09Because the test is based largely on memorization of =09facts,=20
teachers will have to teach their students these =09specific facts=20
instead of teaching for deep comprehension =09and understanding of the=20
material.
=95=09Students who have been in this country for only three =09years are=20
required to take the test. How can someone who =09has been speaking English =
for=20
three years be expected to =09write essays with correct spelling and=20
grammar, which is a =09requirement to receive a proficient score?=20
=95=09Supposedly, this test will be used to evaluate teachers as =09well=20
as students. However, a test like this simply =09measures whether a teacher=20
teaches to the test.
I personally feel that instead of an "exit exams" from a particular=20
instutition ... it's more logical to have "entrance exams" that one must =20
pass in order to be accepted into a different learning environment. That=20
learning environment might me middle school from elementary school; high=20
school from middle school; college from high school; Master's Degree program=20
from a B.A. Degree Program; etc.=20
Entrance exams screen possible applicants to see whether or not they have=20
acquired certain agreed upon knowledge and skills ... which have been=20
determined to be necessary to succeed at the next level. Even "open=20
enrollment colleges" have math and English assessment exams that determine=20
the highest math and English course level in which a person can initial=20
enroll.
In California, students at a two year community college, pick a major,=20
satisfy the requirements for their major (specific course work) and satisfy=20
the general education requirements (specifc course work) in order to obtain=20
an A.A. or A.S. Degree in their major. Yet such students ALSO take specific=20
courses to satisfy the "entrance requirements" of the particular four year=20
educational institution that they want to next attend. Such "entrance=20
requirements" can be satisfied by fulfilling the "Intersegmental General=20
Education Transfer Curriculum" (known as IGETC) for transfer to a CSU and UC=20
educational institution. =20
=20
I understand the need for standardized assessment. At the local two year=20
community college in my area, "Beginning Algebra" is the highest math class=20
needed to earn most A.S. and A.A. degrees ... therefore the math department=20
has created a "standardized final exam" which all "Beginning Algebra"=20
students must take and pass in order to pass their "Beginning Algebra" class=20
(and therefore earn their degrees!) Yet that is just one standardized test=20
for ONE class. =20
I personally feel that there are too many detrimental ramifications that are=20
likely to occur (some of which the person of the original post mentioned) if=20
standardized "exit exams" are adopted. "Entrance exams," on the other hand,=20
seem to be less plagued with such abuses ... and like the "dangling carrot"=20
... provide an incentive to learn whatever must be learned to be able to=20
attend the institution or program of higher learning of our choice!
I feel that the high school sophmores mentioned in the original post, who=20
refused to take the state mandated Massachusetts' Comprehensive Assessment=20
Test ... did so after careful consideration and deliberation and in=20
accordance with moral consciousness of "right and wrong." There are so many=20
statesmen/women dictating educational procedure, protocol and correctness ..=
.=20
who are so far removed from the schools, teachers and the students'=20
themselves ... that their mandates are not ALWAYS "on-target"=20
and in the best interest of the students, teachers and parents that they=20
supposedly are serving! So is it only well-informed teachers and parents wh=
o=20
can ONLY tell these statesmen and women that one or more of their particular=20
mandates are "off-the-wall?" How come well-informed students, even sophmore=20
students in high school ... don't have the same right? =20
These students protested the enactment of this mandated "exit exam" is a ver=
y=20
non-violent manner ... by not taking it AND speaking out as to why they=20
didn't take it. Positive change doesn't always have to happen because of=20
something the "older generation" has done. Sometimes, positive change occur=
s=20
because of something the "younger generation" stands up and does ... in the=20
face of the "older generation's rules and mandates! =20
Do we want to teach our students compliancy no matter what??? Or do we want=20
to teach our students to analyze a situation carefully (especially one that=20
affects them) and then to choose a course of personal action ... as their ow=
n=20
personal moral consciousness dictates???
Dusty
=20
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