More testing for Seniors

The pressure of testing has been increased in the public schools of Virginia.  This state is requiring its High School seniors to pass 6 tests to measure proficiency in different disciplines.  Passing these tests is required for graduation.  What is left to be determined is whether these tests encourage students to succeed, or do they provide an added incentive for students to drop out? 

The state requires testing in various subjects.  They also make allowances for students who are following a non-traditional education.  These special conditions can include secondary English learners and those on a specific career path. 

Some students, such as those in career courses or those who speak limited English, are still allowed to graduate if they take other state-approved exams comparable to the SOLs, department spokesman Charles Pyle said.

The requirement of these tests can be both beneficial and hurtful.  The students who excel in school will likely do well on these tests and view them as another distraction.  Students that struggle with academic achievement will likely be intimidated by these evaluations.  

State school officials said the new requirements should not be difficult. They said statewide data indicate growing numbers of Virginia students are seeking out more rigorous high school courses, and they cite a rise in students who pursue advanced diplomas. Such diplomas require students to pass nine SOL exams.

The article reveals a very positive opinion of this new format, however, I am a little skeptical of the enthusiam with which it is written.  I cannot help but believe that many students do not fall into the over-achieving picture painted in this article. 

When these students do not achieve the goal.  If they do not score with an acceptable grade, what then?

School officials who oversee high school counselors said they have not heard of any students complaining about the regulations, in part because students had been warned about the change.

In Loudoun County, students in danger of not receiving enough credits to graduate are given multiple notices and are put in remediation classes if they falter on practice exams or in their coursework, said K. Anne Lewis, the school system’s director of student services.

Are these special classes enough?  Determining the abilities of the students is important.  But not unlike the cracks in the “No Child Left Behind” laws, these proficiency tests are not infallible.  As educators, we need to find better ways to measure the knowledge and abilities of our students.  Using standardized tests only promotes the good testers, while leaving the poor testers to reaffirm their anxieties.  I believe that these tests could lead students to give up on their studies.  For students who struggle with literacy, what would be the motivation for them to stick with their education?  Some literacy is better than no literacy.  I believe that we, as educators, need to deal with this issue in a matter that allows our students to get the most from their education.  After all, those who love to read are readers, not just good testers.

Click here to read the complete article.

Class of ‘07 Faces a Range of Tests

Seniors Now Must Pass Discipline-Specific Exams to Graduate

By Ian ShapiraWashington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, January 21, 2007; Page PW06 

Don’t Discount the Dropout

The efforts of some will benefit all.  High school drop outs are a major componet in the study of literacy in this country.  This article, from the Christian Science Monitor, reveals the benefits of finding these failing students and providing another opportunity for high school completion.  The current drop out rates in the United States vary from 30 to 50 percent.  These rates have been determined to be unacceptable in some communities.  Alternative learning resources are being used to make connections with these students.  As teachers, we need to be especially aware of these dropout rates.  As mentioned in the article, many of the students do not make a connection with the school, learning, or teachers.  Without this connection, students have very little to keep them in the education system.

Chris Ahnert left high school because he figured he didn’t have the credits to graduate, anyway.

Aziz Animashan left after he got kicked off the basketball team – the only thing keeping him there.

Stacy Del Real didn’t want to go back to the same environment where, she says, “there were bad things happening all around me.”

These students need to become integrated in programs where they are safe, and the subject matter makes that connection.  These concerns are being met in numerous ways.   Learning needs to be facilitated in ways which allow students to become engaged in the subject matter.  The emotions of fear and anxiety reduce the levels of learning by preventing students from being able to completely immerse themselves in the text. 

The high numbers – combined with research showing dropouts are far more likely to be in prison, on public assistance, or jobless – have many educators thinking about how to keep those students from ever leaving.

Communities who validate their youth and the value of an education have taken on the challenge of providing an environment conducive to learning.  They have seen the need to provide an education to this lost element of society.  In a study conduct in a small community in Ohio proves the need for this type of programming.

Another program was spearheaded by a county – not typically a player in education policy. Deborah Feldman, the county administrator for Montgomery County in Ohio, says she realized several years ago that half of their budget was going toward criminal justice and human services, but they were doing nothing to keep people from entering those systems. 

The high numbers – combined with research showing dropouts are far more likely to be in prison, on public assistance, or jobless – have many educators thinking about how to keep those students from ever leaving.

With the research indicating such a strong correlation between the rates of crime and violence and the dropout rates, it is definitely in our best interest to find out why students are choosing to dropout, and find a solution to this epidemic problem.  Is it possible that by encouraging our students to make connections to literature and other subjects, we can directly affect the rates of crime?   It may be worth the extra time and money needed to find these “lost” students and teach to them in a contextual way.

The dropout rate in the US officially hovers around 10 percent. By Amanda Paulson | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

Click here to read the complete article.

The Test

Much of the popular evidence sited on behalf of the illiteracy argument is found in criticisms of school districts based on No Child Left Behind.  These fault laden tests are a classic example of the rates of illiteracy being exploited.  The reasons for failure are diluted with examples of inaccuracies concerning the abilities of the test takers and the “blindness” of the test givers.

In a hallmark of the federal law, schools are judged not just on the overall performance of their student body, but also on the scores of various subgroups, like special education students. This means that even a school highly sought after by parents could wind up on the dreaded list.

The parents of these children have little choice but to remove their kids and place them in another district.  Unfortunately, the districts limit the number of transfer vouchers available, making the move toward success harder than necessary.

When schools are designated as failing, parents must be notified and given the right to request that their children be transferred. But New York City, like many school districts across the country, limits the number of transfer requests it grants.

Parents confronted with the news of a failing school, may feel overwhelmed and hopeless, as their hands are tied.  Their ultimate goal is the success of their children. 

How does this effect the literacy rate in this district?  Many schools are faced with a problem that may or may not exist.  Test scores may be altered do to conditions like high rates of ethnic diversity, poverty or special education students.  School districts are required to reorganize or even close schools who have two consecutive failing years. 

Each year that a school fails to make progress brings another set of requirements. Ultimately, districts may close failing schools; over the summer New York City closed 19 poorly performing schools.

Teachers are left with higher standards and benchmarks, parents are left with panic and fear, and students are  “Left Behind.”  We will explore whether or not literacy rates have improved with NCLB.

46 New York City Schools Join List of Those Failing in Student Performance Standards Under U.S. Law, The New York Times

By Elissa Gootman

January 11, 2007

Click here to read the complete New York Times article.

Hello world!

This is my first blog on this site.  If I ever figure this out, it’s going to be a lot of fun.  I have decided to look at the literacy rates and reasons among High School students in the United States.  It has always amazed me to see students fall through the crack when it comes to reading and writing.  I find it hard to believe that anyone can graduate without the basic skills needed to be literate.  Afterall, twelve years is a long time to fake it. 

I plan to use sources from the New York Times– Education section, the Washington Post, Google News and numerous blog sites.  I think that I will probably use other sources, but these are the main resources I will be commenting on.

I think that researching some of the causes and facts about illiteracy will allow me to be a better, more aware teacher.  I am looking forward to developing these skills.  And hopefully, help someone who needs it.