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STATE EDUCATION EXPERTS CONDEMN MCAS HIGH-STAKES TESTING
STATE EDUCATION EXPERTS CONDEMN MCAS HIGH-STAKES TESTING OFFER TO HELP CREATE A BETTER SCHOOL ASSESSMENT SYSTEM
Over forty professors of education in the UMass and State College systems have presented Governor Deval Patrick and Secretary of Education Paul Reville with a Position Statement condemning the high stakes MCAS test and pledging support to construct a new assessment system for the state’s public schools. The Statement comes as the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is reporting half of Massachusetts schools failing to meet standards with even more predicted for next year. James Nehring, organizer of the Position Statement and an assistant professor at UMass Lowell says, “This system is broken and corrupt. It was dropped on schools fifteen years ago in the name of high standards, and now it is about to collapse from its own weight.”
The Position Statement follows similar statements already adopted by leading national education research organizations including The American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, and the National Council for Measurement in Education, all of which condemn the single test approach to student assessment, such as MCAS, and advocate for multiple measures of student learning.
Says Nehring, “The system is a recipe for permanent social inequality. Kids with low test scores are punished by this system with endless worksheets and practice tests intended to marginally boost scores while kids who test well are rewarded with a real education.”
Nehring served previously as a member of the Readiness Project, Governor Patrick's initiative for public education in Massachusetts, but became vocal in opposition when the Governor ignored the recommendation from Project members to end the current testing regime.
Nehring adds, “This is not a liberal versus conservative debate. It’s about policy makers who are out of touch with schools. We need an assessment system that truly promotes high standards and high quality instruction for all students. Many of us have vocally opposed MCAS for years. Now we’re banding together with one voice, and we’re ready to go to work.”
The Public Statement on High Stakes Testing by Education Scholars in the University of Massachusetts and State College Systems, Summer, 2008, states, “We disapprove of high stakes testing as currently practiced by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System and as proposed in Governor Deval Patrick’s Final Readiness Report. In addition, merely providing multiple opportunities to pass the same test is not a sufficient remedy. We stand ready to serve the Commonwealth in designing and implementing responsible, research-based alternatives to this practice.” Some 42 education professors from eight UMass and State College campuses have appended their names. Institutional affiliation is for identification purposes only. Susan D. Allen, Salem State College; Theresa Austin, UMass Amherst; Victoria L. Bacon, Bridgewater State College; Patricia Barron, UMass Lowell; Gonzalo Bacigalupe, UMass Boston; Sam Baumgarten, Bridgewater State College; Sandra J. Berkowitz, Westfield State College; Roselle K. Chartock, Mass. College of Liberal Arts; Michaela Colombo, UMass Lowell; Delayne Connor, Bridgewater State College; Grace J. Craig, UMass Amherst; Judith Davidson, UMass Lowell; Emily DeMoor, Mass College of Liberal Arts; Ken Dobush, Bridgewater State College; Susan H. Edgerton, Mass College of Liberal Arts; Kevin Fahey, Salem State College; Pat L. Fontaine, UMass Lowell; Kenneth Haar, Westfield State College; Maureen Hall, UMass Dartmouth; Bill Harp, UMass Lowell; Virginia Smith Harvey, UMass Boston; MinJeong Kim, UMass Lowell; Trudy Knowles, Westfield State College; Jill H. Lohmeier, UMass Lowell; David Lustick, UMass Lowell; Bob MacMillan, Bridgewater State College; Barbara Madeloni,UMass Amherst; John D. Marvelle, Bridgewater State College; James H. Nehring, UMass Lowell; Teresa C. Nelson, UMass Dartmouth; Mary Ni, Salem State College; Francesca Pomerantz, Salem State College; Dana Rapp,Mass College of Liberal Arts; Ellen M. Rintell, Salem State College; Laurie Robertson-Lorant, UMass Dartmouth; Joao Rosa,UMass Dartmouth; Beryl Rosenthal,UMass Lowell; Ann Scott, Mass College of Liberal Arts; Michelle Scribner-MacLean, UMass Lowell; Jay Simmons, UMass Lowell; Peter Taylor,UMass Boston; Kerri Ullucci, UMass Dartmouth.
For further information;
Prof. James Nehring (978) 400- 6631
jimnehring@verizon.net
Over forty professors of education in the UMass and State College systems have presented Governor Deval Patrick and Secretary of Education Paul Reville with a Position Statement condemning the high stakes MCAS test and pledging support to construct a new assessment system for the state’s public schools. The Statement comes as the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is reporting half of Massachusetts schools failing to meet standards with even more predicted for next year. James Nehring, organizer of the Position Statement and an assistant professor at UMass Lowell says, “This system is broken and corrupt. It was dropped on schools fifteen years ago in the name of high standards, and now it is about to collapse from its own weight.”
The Position Statement follows similar statements already adopted by leading national education research organizations including The American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, and the National Council for Measurement in Education, all of which condemn the single test approach to student assessment, such as MCAS, and advocate for multiple measures of student learning.
Says Nehring, “The system is a recipe for permanent social inequality. Kids with low test scores are punished by this system with endless worksheets and practice tests intended to marginally boost scores while kids who test well are rewarded with a real education.”
Nehring served previously as a member of the Readiness Project, Governor Patrick's initiative for public education in Massachusetts, but became vocal in opposition when the Governor ignored the recommendation from Project members to end the current testing regime.
Nehring adds, “This is not a liberal versus conservative debate. It’s about policy makers who are out of touch with schools. We need an assessment system that truly promotes high standards and high quality instruction for all students. Many of us have vocally opposed MCAS for years. Now we’re banding together with one voice, and we’re ready to go to work.”
The Public Statement on High Stakes Testing by Education Scholars in the University of Massachusetts and State College Systems, Summer, 2008, states, “We disapprove of high stakes testing as currently practiced by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System and as proposed in Governor Deval Patrick’s Final Readiness Report. In addition, merely providing multiple opportunities to pass the same test is not a sufficient remedy. We stand ready to serve the Commonwealth in designing and implementing responsible, research-based alternatives to this practice.” Some 42 education professors from eight UMass and State College campuses have appended their names. Institutional affiliation is for identification purposes only. Susan D. Allen, Salem State College; Theresa Austin, UMass Amherst; Victoria L. Bacon, Bridgewater State College; Patricia Barron, UMass Lowell; Gonzalo Bacigalupe, UMass Boston; Sam Baumgarten, Bridgewater State College; Sandra J. Berkowitz, Westfield State College; Roselle K. Chartock, Mass. College of Liberal Arts; Michaela Colombo, UMass Lowell; Delayne Connor, Bridgewater State College; Grace J. Craig, UMass Amherst; Judith Davidson, UMass Lowell; Emily DeMoor, Mass College of Liberal Arts; Ken Dobush, Bridgewater State College; Susan H. Edgerton, Mass College of Liberal Arts; Kevin Fahey, Salem State College; Pat L. Fontaine, UMass Lowell; Kenneth Haar, Westfield State College; Maureen Hall, UMass Dartmouth; Bill Harp, UMass Lowell; Virginia Smith Harvey, UMass Boston; MinJeong Kim, UMass Lowell; Trudy Knowles, Westfield State College; Jill H. Lohmeier, UMass Lowell; David Lustick, UMass Lowell; Bob MacMillan, Bridgewater State College; Barbara Madeloni,UMass Amherst; John D. Marvelle, Bridgewater State College; James H. Nehring, UMass Lowell; Teresa C. Nelson, UMass Dartmouth; Mary Ni, Salem State College; Francesca Pomerantz, Salem State College; Dana Rapp,Mass College of Liberal Arts; Ellen M. Rintell, Salem State College; Laurie Robertson-Lorant, UMass Dartmouth; Joao Rosa,UMass Dartmouth; Beryl Rosenthal,UMass Lowell; Ann Scott, Mass College of Liberal Arts; Michelle Scribner-MacLean, UMass Lowell; Jay Simmons, UMass Lowell; Peter Taylor,UMass Boston; Kerri Ullucci, UMass Dartmouth.
For further information;
Prof. James Nehring (978) 400- 6631
jimnehring@verizon.net
posted by gonzalo at 9/23/2008
3/30/2008
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