Fwd: [eddra] Fw: Re: ideal tests?

[Susan Harman <susanharman@igc.org>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "docwood22" <george.wood@earthlink.net>
> Date: Mon Jan 15, 2007  4:33:46 PM US/Pacific
> To: eddra-owner@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: ideal tests?
>
> I have been interested in the various posts recently on 'ideal
> tests' and state accountability systems.  Last week I led a study
> tour to Nebraska to look at their state wide assessment system.  In
> case you don't know about it, let me note that there are state
> standards but some districts develop standards of their own that go
> beyond the state; all assessments for state reporting are developed
> by classroom teachers and administered at point of instruction;
> there is only one state wide test -- a writing test graded by
> Nebraska teachers; there is no way to compare districts and that is
> by design -- who cares what real estate agents and newspapers want;
> each district does give a norm referenced test of their choosing to
> check on their reporting.
>
> I was stunned by the high level of professionalism, collaboration,
> and teacher and community empowerment in this system.  We met with
> the state commissioner of education, sat in classrooms, met teachers
> and administrators, talked to parents, and attended a state wide
> training for the peer reviewers that visit each school.  If you have
> not seen this, you will not believe it.  High quality assessments,
> both paper and pencil and performance, that are developed by
> teachers who look carefully at what they and their communities want
> children to know and be able to do.  A system that consists almost
> entirely of, gasp, teacher made tests.
>
> We will be featuring a report on the visit at The Forum for
> Education and Democracy's web site www.forumforeducation.org next
> Tuesday.  It will also include links to the Nebraska system and
> Chris Gallagher's excellent short book on the Nebraska experience.
>
> My point in bringing this to your attention is that we need to stop
> thinking that teachers cannot be trusted to handle testing and
> reporting.  When assessment is done in the name of learning, when
> there is no punishment for finding out what is not working and
> support for figuring out what is, and when the resources are
> provided for teacher development you have an entirely different
> system than the one we imagine now.  And it is being done, in
> Nebraska, without much notice.
>
> By the way, there was an Education Week reporter along for the trip
> and I expect you will see her story within a couple of weeks as well.
>
> George Wood