Thread: Should Students Have to Pass a State-Issued Exam to Pass Each Grade?

Originally Posted by Dave1mo

You're missing the primary purpose of assessment; namely, improvement of student learning.

Exactly. Why test otherwise???

Originally Posted by Dave1mo

Do you have any literature that proves male students perform better when they wait longer to enter school?

There is tons of literature and studies that point to this again and again. For boys, a birthday after June usually makes things more difficult (notice I said usually), for girls, it's September. There is a wonderful book called, "The Summer Children", and many more that explain the necessity for mental and physical maturity before beginning school. I saw this in my own children, who did not start until they were almost 6 (Sept/Nov birthdays). They were ready to separate, ready to pay attention, ready to hear separate sounds for reading, ready to differentiate patterns for both math and reading....all the pieces were there. The year before, my oldest was clinger and my youngest couldn't sit still for anything.
Waiting is the best gift you can give your child.

Originally Posted by CKW

Before placing him in the school...I should have checked out the test scores of that particular school and compared them to the other schools in the area. Oh.....15 years ago that wasn't possible. But it is now due to the testing policies of the state.

Just for your own info---the first school my son went to is clearly labeled as one of the worst in the district. The second school clearly seen as one of the best. Both schools are only about 2 miles apart. Faculty makes a huge difference in the education of our children. And if teachers are scared of state testing then they have issues.

Ah, so you have no role in your child's education beyond choosing his school. You're a big part of what's wrong with education today.

The bar for standardized tests is too low, so I don't really think passing or failing one is an accurate representation of what our school system is turning out.... a more accurate indicator, IMO, is the billions of dollars a year colleges and businesses spend on remediation.

That said, I would have slightly less of an issue with standardized competency exams if no financial carrots were attached to high proficency....as evidence suggests such results in "teaching the test" and administrative cheating.

http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/feds...ls-633239.html

Originally Posted by webrockk

The bar for standardized tests is too low, so I don't really think passing or failing one is an accurate representation of what our school system is turning out.... a more accurate indicator, IMO, is the billions of dollars a year colleges and businesses spend on remediation.

That said, I would have slightly less of an issue with standardized competency exams if no financial carrots were attached to high proficency....as evidence suggests such results in "teaching the test" and administrative cheating.

http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/feds...ls-633239.html

They spend that money on remediation because:

1) It makes them much, much more money in terms of tuition.
2) Students who have no business being in college are accepted. See number one.
3) Standardized testing necessarily lends itself towards lower-level skills like memorization. College education requires higher order skills.

Originally Posted by Dave1mo

Ah, so you have no role in your child's education beyond choosing his school. You're a big part of what's wrong with education today.

Its interesting....there are no bad teachers in your assessment eh? This is the problem and exactly why the state needs to have an objective standard.

However....Just this week (really...!), I met a mother of my son's friend who was sending her kid to summer school. HE FAILED 5th grade. Now---I do wonder how that was a surprise to her (we do get report cards)---but the principal said that if this child takes a standardized test and passes then he would move on to the 5th grade. He failed the test.

So...it WAS UP TO THE PARENT TO TAKE ACTION-and the next option was to send him all summer to summer school, work with him. No parent wants their child "failing".

So that is actually how I see these tests...it actually puts the responsibility on the parent to make the decisions needed to get their child educated.

Originally Posted by CKW

Its interesting....there are no bad teachers in your assessment eh? This is the problem and exactly why the state needs to have an objective standard.

However....Just this week (really...!), I met a mother of my son's friend who was sending her kid to summer school. HE FAILED 5th grade. Now---I do wonder how that was a surprise to her (we do get report cards)---but the principal said that if this child takes a standardized test and passes then he would move on to the 5th grade. He failed the test.

So...it WAS UP TO THE PARENT TO TAKE ACTION-and the next option was to send him all summer to summer school, work with him. No parent wants their child "failing".

So that is actually how I see these tests...it actually puts the responsibility on the parent to make the decisions needed to get their child educated.

No. I've worked with several bad teachers. Waiting until the child fails to take action is a problem; the parent should be involved with academics on a daily basis.

Originally Posted by Dave1mo

No. I've worked with several bad teachers. Waiting until the child fails to take action is a problem; the parent should be involved with academics on a daily basis.

We agree! It is true that this type of test will put the fear into the parents---more so then the teachers.

Originally Posted by Dave1mo

No. I've worked with several bad teachers. Waiting until the child fails to take action is a problem; the parent should be involved with academics on a daily basis.

Were the bad teachers fired?

Originally Posted by Til the Last Drop

Were the bad teachers fired?

Some of them responded to additional training provided to save their jobs; others did not have their contracts renewed.