Mindless Testocracy Strikes Again

[Bob Schaeffer <bobschaeffer@earthlink.net>]

Note, especially, the school principal describing taking an additional 
test as "service to your school."  Sick, sick, sick!


              STAR STUDENTS GETS F FOR ATTITUDE
         GARFIELD DISCIPLINES SENIOR FOR SHIRKING STANDARDIZED EXAM
                           Akron Beacon Journal -- February 7, 2004

                                   by Stephanie Warsmith

The nearly straight-A student would rather have been in class.

Instead, Jake Bogdanovich was taking a test with no bearing on his 
grades or ability to get into college.

``I didn't want to be there,'' he said. ``I didn't want to take the test.''

So, the Garfield High School senior did something rare for him: rebel.

On the familiar bubble answer sheet, he made a tic-tac-toe pattern. He 
drew characters from the television show South Park in the short-answer 
section. And he took part in a coughing fit that became contagious for 
other students.

Now, Bogdanovich, 18, is facing consequences for his cavalier attitude 
toward a test that school leaders say was important. He will serve a 
three-day, in-school suspension beginning Monday.

His status in the National Honor Society is in jeopardy, and he lost his 
position working in the school office.

Bogdanovich wasn't the first student to slough off a test and he won't 
be the last. Students are being tested more and more -- often with 
standardized exams that carry no consequences or benefits for them 
personally. But these tests are important for schools and districts -- 
and shirking them is not considered a laughing matter, administrators said.

``Jake decided not to take the test seriously and thought it would be 
OK,'' said Garfield Principal Rebecca Decapua. ``It wasn't.''

Bogdanovich was one of 100 Garfield seniors randomly selected to take a 
test this week to measure whether a program at the school is working. 
Garfield, along with Akron's other high schools, is part of a national 
effort called ``High Schools That Work.'' Each year, seniors at each 
school are quizzed to gauge whether they are performing better than the 
class before them.

That's what landed Bogdanovich in a classroom Monday for a test he 
didn't want to take -- and wasn't sure why he was taking it. He and a 
friend decided to goof off on the exam rather than apply themselves.

``This had no scholarship opportunities,'' Bogdanovich said. ``I would 
rather be in class.''

They both gave bogus answers throughout the test. In response to a 
question about the difference between an animal and a plant cell, 
Bogdanovich drew cartoon characters from South Park. In answer to 
another item, he wrote, ``Bob Dole uses Viagra,'' which had nothing to 
do with the question.

A teacher became suspicious when the two teens finished the last section 
of the test -- expected to take 25 minutes -- in three minutes. She 
asked if they had tried, and they replied: ``Not really,'' Bogdanovich 
said. She took their answer booklets and reported them to Decapua's office.

Bogdanovich's friend, who is 17, also received an in-school suspension.

Pamela Bogdanovich, Jake's mother, was disappointed and surprised in her 
son, who has a 3.8 grade-point average, works 30 hours a week in a 
Walgreens pharmacy and will begin a pre-pharmacy program at the 
University of Toledo in August.

``I am not happy with him,'' she said. ``His wings are going to be 
clipped a little.''

But she also thinks his punishment is too severe, especially kicking him 
out of the National Honor Society -- a step she plans to fight.

``I don't understand why this test has more weight than any other 
test,'' she said, adding that school leaders could have done a better 
job explaining the significance of the exam. ``I think this was blown 
way out of proportion to begin with.''

Decapua said the test is significant for demonstrating whether the 
school is making any gains with reform efforts begun in recent years 
with the High Schools That Work program. Failing to show gains could put 
future funding under the program in jeopardy, she said.

``I would not say this would make or break our funding,'' she said, 
``but they expect to see progress in various areas.''

Decapua said school leaders sent a letter home with students informing 
them about the High Schools That Work test. The letter said parents 
could contact school leaders if they had a problem with their children 
taking the test.

Pamela Bogdanovich said she never received this letter.

School leaders say testing is only going to become more intense and 
frequent for future generations. This year's freshmen will be the first 
who must pass the new Ohio Graduation Test, which is expected to be 
tougher than the current ninth-grade proficiency test. Eventually, 
students will be given standardized exams every year in kindergarten 
through 10th grade.

While not all of the tests count for students, many have major 
consequences for schools and districts. Those that fail to show adequate 
progress can face such stiff penalties as staff changes and state takeover.

School leaders hope students will attempt their best on these tests, 
even if it doesn't benefit them.

``Students need to recognize it isn't always about yourself,'' said 
Decapua. ``Spend a period of time in service to your school.''

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/7898484.htm