The Network for Public Education is skeptical of the value of the Obama administration’s latest pronouncement on testing.
In a news release, Carol Burris of NPE expressed doubt that the new policy changes would have much effect.
“The Network For Public Education | PRESS RELEASE: Response to Obama Administration Testing Statement
The Network For Public Education
October 26, 2015 Accountability, Obama, Barack, Press Release, Reauthorization of NCLB, Testing / Opting Out
For Immediate Release
Contact: Carol Burris
Executive Director, Network for Public Education Fund
Email: burriscarol@gmail.com
Date: October 26, 2015
“Network for Public Education Fund Response to Obama Administration Statement on Testing
“This weekend the Obama Administration released a statement calling for states to “cap testing” time in an effort to stop the parental outrage against annual, high-stakes testing. The suggested 2% cap represents nearly 24 hours of state-mandated standardized testing, for students as young as 8 years of age. To put that time into perspective, the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) represents less than 6 hours of testing.
“The Network for Public Education (NPE) is disappointed by the limited response to what it views as a national education crisis.
“Anthony Cody, who serves as the vice-chairperson and treasurer of NPE, responded to the announcement by saying, “Limiting testing to 2% is a symbolic gesture that will have little impact so long as these tests are used for high stakes purposes.”
“While the Department of Education remains wed to annual high-stakes tests, it is time for states and districts to call their bluff regarding flexibility. The research coming forward is clear. The overuse of standardized testing is educational malpractice. States should drop the destructive pseudoscience of VAM, empower educators to create their own meaningful assessments of learning, and get off the testing juggernaut.”
“Network for Public Education President, Diane Ravitch agrees. “The Obama administration’s stance on testing is too little too late. For seven years, they have forced inappropriate testing on almost every school in the nation, yet they still insist that testing promotes equity. It does not. They refuse to hold themselves accountable for the harm they have done to students, teachers, principals, and the quality of education. Billions of taxpayer dollars have been wasted on high-stakes testing during the Bush-Obama years. It is time for fundamental changes in federal policy, not pointless tinkering.”
“The Network for Public Education will continue to call for an end to high-stakes tests that are used to sort, select, punish, and rank students, educators, and schools.
“Testing is the rock on which a host of destructive corporate reforms are built. That era must end. It is time that we commit to well-funded, vibrant public schools that are democratically governed by the communities they serve”, said Carol Burris, the Executive Director of the NPE Fund.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Since the pronouncement. the phrase “too little, too late” roars ferociously in my head. Other concerns are the amount of time put into test prep, the money spent on tests and testing materials, and that the test scores are not quickly provided so that if there is any information to be gleaned that may help in the teaching of a student or a group, it can be utilized.
Indeed… OBAMA: Too Little, Too Late.
apologies for period instead of comma after word pronouncement ….
Subterfuge, plain and simple. At fed and state levels they’re selling the failed implementation line and deescalating mounting pressure put on them so parents will be lulled into a false sense of security and not opt their children out. Caveat emptor, caveat emptor!
or how about “lulled into”. . .voting for Democrats again. ?
Let us put this into perspective. A student attending a university takes a 4 unit course (quarter system). In most universities this means they attend a class of one and a half hours long three times a week for 10 weeks for a total of 45 hours of class time. They have two exams, one a mid term and another a final. This means they spend 3 hours in testing which is 6.67% of the class time.
Let us also examine a 3 unit class. Total class time is 30 hours with the same mid term and final consuming 3 hours. This means that test time is 10% of the class time. This has been going on for a long time.
Now let some body tell me if 2% (latest recommendation by Obama administration) of the class time to be used for testing is over doing testing? Any takers here for 1%, 0.5%, 0.1%, 0.01% or no tests at all?
Finally MCAT testing? Does this have anything do with K-12 education?
Conflate much? Like conflating college with elementary school? Instructor-generated tests* with standardized tests?
* Most college level tests aren’t really tests in any form that standardized test fans would recognize. They are usually essay and/or problem solving tests – rarely multiple choice.
Do you even read your posts before you hit the button?
RAJ
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, AND 14 YEAR OLD CHILDREN. THEIR TEST TAKING STAMINA IS NOT THAT OF A 20 YEAR OLD COLLEGE STUDENT. THE TESTS THEY TAKE DO NOT COUNT FOR A GRADE EITHER.
SO THEIR MOTIVATION IS NON-EXISTANT.
THE USE OF “2%” AS THE MAXIMUM TIME ALLOTTED FOR STANDARDIZED TESTING HAS FOOLED YOU, JUST AS IT WAS INTENDED. DEPENDING ON HOW THIS IS MORE SPECIFICALLY DEFINED, 2% OF 180 DAYS x 4.5 HOURS OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME WOULD RESULT IN 16.2 HOURS OF TESTING. SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS GET UP TO 2.0X EXTENDED TESTING TIME: 32.4 HOURS.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT OBAMA’S “TESTING ACTION PLAN” DOES NOT CARRY THE FORCE OF LAW, IT IS ONLY A SUGGESTION. IT IS A MEANINGLESS STATEMENT AND WAS ONLY MEANT TO SOOTH THE SAVAGE PARENTS.
WHEN/IF CONGRESS RE-AUTHORIZES THE ESEA AND OBAMA SIGNS IT INTO LAW, THEN AND ONLY THEN WILL THE TESTING FIASCO BEGIN TO GET SETTLED. ALL STATES ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING UNDER AN ILLEGAL NCLB WAIVER, SO THIS ENTIRE MESS IS STILL REALLY IN LEGAL LIMBO.
Don’t bother with Raj. He is morality disabled . . . .
Raj, In case you need reminding, university students are different than 3rd graders in maturity and approaches to learning. Plus, university students spend vastly more time outside of classrooms completing assignments compared to K-12 students. Your apples to oranges comparison is fruitless.
University students are in school voluntarily. They pay for the privilege.
K-12 students are compelled to attend.
Hey, Raj. You can make the comparison to college with an adjustment. I’ll use the 15-wk semester as it’s more familiar to me. The typical 3-cr course meets 3 rather than 5 times a wk, reflecting the increased amount of independent study required of a college student. Most professors agree college should be approached like a 40-hr/wk job. The typical 15-cr semester requires 15 hrs class/wk plus 25hrs of study. 8hrs per day: 3hrs in class, 8 hrs of study.
You can compare this readily to sr yr in high school: 5hrs class time, 2 hrs h.w. Homework recommendations for the school child typically suggest 10mins/night for K/1, add 10 mins per night for each grade. You arrive at 2hrs/night in 12th grade.
Adjusting the college day to compare to the school day: we could reasonably say those 8 hrs include 3hrs of hw; the other 5 (3 in class 2 independent study) are equiv to the schoolday. By this measure, 2hrs testing is only 1.3% of 75hrs college day. However most courses include a prelim or similar; often a college grade is dependent on 3 or 4 tests, bringing testing time into the 2-3% range.
The glaring distinction is that significant tests– just like hw– should be started small & increased incrementally K-12.
Oops. 1st para should read 3hrs of class, 5 hrs of study!
“The glaring distinction is that significant tests– just like hw– should be started small & increased incrementally K-12.”
Unless those “significant” tests are teacher made and used in communicating in conjunction with the student (and when younger, parents) in discussing where the student is at in regards to learning at the classroom/subject level then they shouldn’t be used at all.
Follow Aunt Nancy’s advice and “Just Say NO!” to any non-teacher made assessment. (obviously except for those diagnostic tests needed to determine disabilities)
Duane- I completely agree. Well almost. The no-stakes grade-span std tests my kids had in the late ’90’s were helpful to me as a parent. I think it was math & engl, twice in primary once in middlesch. I can’t see where state/fed bean-counters need anything more than that.
The 2% assessments mentioned in the article are state mandated “standardized” tests that are age-inappropriate, not standardized, graded on an insanely complicated, fluxuating and manipulated cut score from year to year, and MOST importantly- NOT created by the teachers who know and teach the whole child on a daily basis. Is that perspective Raj?
Raj—Peter Greene—says,”No tests at all”. http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-correct-number-of-standardized-tests.html
Good to see the Quixotic Quest Bandwagon is picking up fellow travelers on this adventurous adventure. Welcome aboard Peter (and you too Almost Learning if you agree!). Are there any fellow excursionistas that need a lift?
Always Learning not Almost Learning, lo siento.
I’ll give serious thought to “No tests at all” when the schools where the elite send their kids–U. Chicago Lab School, Sidwell Friends, Lakeside, Harpeth Hall, etc.–make the first move and stop administering standardized tests to their students.
Tim,
How about Finland? No standardized tests until the end of high school. Not one. Could that be the secret of their success?
All we have to do to be just like Finland is to get about 315 million people to move to another country, have 95% of the 5 million who remain come from the same culture and have relatively close genetic ties, and then be willing to accept the world’s largest reading gap between boys and girls.
Until that happens, we should probably be cautious about assuming whether policies that work in Finland will work in the United States. Hell, given that reading gap–it is nearly as big as the black-white gap in the US–we should probably cautious about assuming whether Finland’s policies are even the best ones for Finland.
Fine, Tim, we’ll administer them (starting at 5th grade, not 3rd, but we’ll remove all stakes for students and teachers. That would bring public schools in line with the elite private schools. Fair enough?
More of the usual misdirection from Tim, who can’t be bothered with the fact that, while some elite private schools give some standardized tests, they are not student-sorting or gate-keeping exams, are not used to evaluate teachers or schools, and thus are not used as weapons against public schools and their teachers.
Starting in fifth grade is way too late, according to the beautiful and lovely community of lifelong learners that was founded by John Dewey himself! The University of Chicago Lab School administers a multiple-day standardized test delivered by computer to every single one of its third and fourth grade students.
The Lab School uses those results to “think critically about our curriculum and instruction.” At Sidwell “teachers review the scores in detail . . . and then use that information to be more effective in the classroom.” Are the results of a single child’s or a group of children’s scores used to make up/down personnel decisions? Probably not. It doesnt really happen in public schools, either. But you knew that already.
Finally, a big thank you to Krazy TA for pointing out where I didn’t make my argument strongly enough. There is nothing at all about standardized testing per se that narrows curriculum in favor of test prep and diverts resources from classrooms. Those things are happening in public schools for completely different reasons. Families and educators at the elite private institutions insist on the reality check that standardized tests provide, and public school parents shouldn’t settle for anything less.
Tim,
Your love of standardized tests is bizarre. I don’t know how I survived without ever taking one until the SAT. When I read your comments promoting these flawed tests, I feel ill.
Diane, how can these amazing schools, with the multiple pottery studios and kinesiologists and from-scratch locally sourced organic meals and a total commitment to the whole child and a rich, deep curriculum, plus some of the best school leaders and teachers money can buy, gotten this one thing so wrong?
You can’t put it down to ignorance: these are folks who both know their history while also being at the cutting edge. You can’t charge $50k for kindergarten without knowing what you’re doing.
Maybe we should accept at face value the statements these schools make regarding standardized testing? The educators and families in these communities believe that using a well-constructed “outside” test helps them to tailor instruction and curriculum, as well as give individual students a snapshot of their performance.
Tim,
Just because a few of the supposed “elite” (who the hell determined that moniker) use COMPLETELY INVALID standardized test results in their teaching and learning process doesn’t negate that INVALIDITY nor does it mean/suggest that all should be doing what they do.
As my mom used to say when I told her I needed to use the car (yeah back then we all had to share a car) for a cockamimee scheme (of which she only had vague indications from me what it was about) with my friends and she wasn’t going to let it happen despite my pleadings that everyone was going to be doing it: “If everybody was jumping off the cliff would you? NO!, I wouldn’t let you and NO you’re not getting the keys!” And I’d go skulk in my room, tail between my legs knowing she was right.
What sad and discredited rheephormista talking points…
For starters, how about at Lakeside School [Bill Gates and his two children] standardized testing doesn’t drive and narrow curriculum and enrichment activities [hint: check out the very active sports and arts activities].
And I for one remember that until very recently the rheephormsters were all gaga and awestruck about Finland, using Finnish results on PISA, until numerous folks—prominent among them Pasi Sahlberg—pointed out all the other things about Finland that made such high scores possible that contradict the rheephorm business plan that masquerades as an educational model.
Please, shills and trolls: come up with something at least slightly thoughtful and interesting and logical and consistent.
😏
Damage control!
yep.
Too late. Too much irreversible damage. Big show, all showing a lot and all meaning nothing . . . .
The “action” plan is actually a long list of things other people “should” do:
http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/fact-sheet-testing-action-plan
Maybe they could start with asking the people they want to “support” and “help” what the administration should do?
“Accountability for others.” (Or, “Keep the ball in the other guys court.”)
Bravo! Well said, friends!
2%? More like 2 hrs twice a year max, then Obama would be doing something.
NO!, No COMPLETELY INVALID tests a year!
We want IOWA tests! No more of this SBACwards CCRAP.
We don’t even want the Iowa tests. What did the Iowa tests do for anyone, anyway?
At least they didn’t count against schools or teachers. I guess that is something.
Isn’t nice that “something” is nothing?
Carol or anybody else,
Maybe I am paranoid or have PTTD ( post tramatic test disorder) but I can’t help but think that Duncan’s resignation, Tisch’s resignation and the recent (and semi-recen)t downfall of big rheeformers types like Deasy, Bennett, Anderson etc.. all have something in common – that is besides Kevin Johnson touching them (sorry, I had to).
Did Obama ask Duncan to step down? Because of ??? But then why King? What are the connections? What bigger thing are they hiding or misdirecting us from? There seems to be something under the surface that is almost…..tangible…but what is it?
I have a feeling it is more than votes, more than placating angry parents and teachers, more than the cronyism they no longer hide. I think it is big, VERY BIG.
Peg with Pen has her thoughts on this: http://www.pegwithpen.com
She links to this article that stands out: http://www.questarai.com/encore-reimagining-the-classroom-experience/
Whew! I don’t know how I missed the referenced Peter Greene huffpost piece last May, & the questar link spells the plan out with crystal clarity. Extremely creepy & disturbing.
To play into your thinking… Obama COULD be trying to differentiate the Democrats from the Republicans on the issue of testing without REALLY making any changes to the test-and-punish regimen put in place since NCLB. His change of heart will give Democrats the ability to side with his call for fewer hours spent on standardized tests while holding firm to the “choice as a civil rights” issue. The Republicans, on the other hand, will be more likely to continue bludgeoning teachers unions and irresponsible parents for the decline of the American Empire. We need to listen closely to candidates on this issue: they will be choosing their words carefully to make sure they don’t lose out on donations from testing and tech companies and the hedge funders who underwrite the “reform schools” that have long waiting lists… I hope to hear Carol Burris’ closing quote come out of one of their mouths: “Testing is the rock on which a host of destructive corporate reforms are built. That era must end. It is time that we commit to well-funded, vibrant public schools that are democratically governed by the communities they serve”. When a Presidential candidate conveys THAT message the testing era MIGHT be coming to a close. Until then, I fear it will be business as usual.
BUT
There is no money in teachers creating their own tests
There is no money in declaring schools successful
There is no money in educators managing their schools themselves
There is no money in not using technology
How will the gazillionaires manage without having their mitts on public education money..for only they can save us all
For whom, exactly, is the State of Florida’s Accountability System?
Andy,
When did you present this to the board? Was it recently?
As usual thanks for your efforts to combat the current educational malpractice insanities.
TIA,
Duane
I’ve had several colleagues retire as soon as they could, due to what’s happening in education today. All the creativity and pleasure has gone out of the day and students are required to sit and absorb what the teacher is saying. I get tired of listening to myself! In addition, my second grade students have each taken over 50 tests and we’re not even at the end of OCTOBER yet! I’ve got a student teacher this year and I feel for her. Teaching’s a different and much less rewarding and individualized experience these days.
FIFTY TESTS??????????????? What are we doing to our babies?
Drowning them in the bath water and then throwing the bath water, baby included, out.
It’s meaningless because it’s a meaningless number. The administration “action plan” has a whole list of states and districts that have already reduced testing lower than “2%”. They chose a goal many states have already met.
It’s purely political, but I’m wondering why they’re worried about the popularity of ed reform, so much so that the President has to get involved?
“The Obama Legacy”
Test and VAM
VAM and test
A crying sham
Barack’s bequest
I don’t know of course, but if you play with the political angle a little and look at the Congressional piece the administration is pushing, they COULD be giving cover to Congressional Democrats who (obviously) are huge testing enthusiasts.
The testing amendment the Democrats put together has extensive reporting requirements for public schools. It COULD be a way for ed reformers at the national level to retain control and lock in testing in the national law, while giving Congressional Democrats cover on testing- they can claim they are actually monitoring OVER testing rather than mandating tests.
As I said, I think the political angle is the only thing worth looking at because this is meaningless as a substantive matter- they can test a lot and still come in under “2%” and the complaint was never about the time for testing anyway- the complaint was about how testing distorts the culture in public schools and turns them into data collection centers.
While I agree that the Presidential guidelines do not go far enough to “end the testing madness,” at least the National Educational Administration appears to have begin applying the brakes. Hopefully Mr Obama will bring about the promised change;}
Who is the “National Education Administration”? TIA
Well the President is the Chief Administrator and the Department of Education along with all the experts who advise, contribute (and pay for), and regulate education policy make up the National Education Administration.
I wish the National Education Association could take its place.
Thanks, I wasn’t sure to what you were referring.
Bush/Obama/Duncan/Gates have been guilty of Munchausen by proxy syndrome (MBPS), a form of child abuse that involves the exaggeration or fabrication of illnesses or symptoms by a caretaker. They systematically broke public education and now imagine themselves the heroes who will “fix” it. (Except it may be too late now that Wall St is deeply involved.)
Listening to all the blather by those in charge of policy making about the state of current public education reminds me of the Kremlinologists of days yore. Whenever a pronouncement is made one immediately has to look to find what the hidden meaning, desire and possible results might be.
The Kremlin today “released a statement calling for states to “cap testing” time in an effort to stop the parental outrage against annual, high-stakes testing.”
Time for the Kremlinologists to go to work to try to understand what they are actually saying!
We are all Kremlinologists now!
Maybe you are, but I am not a Kremlinologist which is just a few letters from criminologist…..
They’ve now collected substancial common core metrix data on basic subjects and are moving into the arts to get that data. In CA, the state is now asking for code compliance with Arts and Performing Arts Assessments. It’s a 14 yr old law that has not kept up with all the other policy changes.
Why do they want it? Because the GATES stakeholders don’t yet have access to these kids. The EDI questionaire at UCLA changed in 2014 to include questions on GIFTED kids, etc… and the agenda below explains how that will happen…with more assessments. Who is doubting that the culling of all this info is NOT for the advancement of Artificial Intel and our kids the test subjects?
“State Senator Ben Allen, Chair, and Assemblymember Ian Calderon, Vice Chair, will be holding an Oversight Hearing of the Joint Committee on the Arts in November to address Arts Education Code Compliance in the visual and performing arts. CMEA President Michael Stone, along with the leaders of the other three professional arts educator associations in California, will participate in a panel discussion on the issue. The Hearing is open to the public and there will be the opportunity for members of the public to provide comments at the proceedings.” Meeting to be held in Beverly Hills on Nov 6th.
All the testing and matrix modeling has profited the Edu-Tech Industry, the Intel Industry, the Charter Industry and the policy wonks. It serves as a modeling platform to develop new and dependable consumer bases for behavior modification, all forms of Healthcare including Mental Health, Private sector Funding sources (ultimate control), etc.
I think you are exactly right, Left Coast Bob (coincidences all? I think not) & Peg w/Pen (no, we have definitely NOT won, & we have just begun to fight!)
Like Duane, w/his (needed) Wilson repetitions, I will say, yet again, yes, WE can, & yes WE WILL!!