Dec 25, 2016 3 min read

I am writing to applaud our Pennsylvania Legislature. The Dec. 18 edition of the Observer-Reporter indicated that Harrisburg is taking a new look at reducing the part standardized tests should play in evaluating our schools. As a retired professional with more than a passing knowledge of testing protocols, I say it’s about time, for several reasons.

Student scores on these tests are not used to evaluate the test takers, only to judge the schools and the teachers. I was a kid once, and I doubt most of us would have given our best effort while taking a test where the results would not impact us. Good testing requires that test takers are as motivated as possible, and the procedures now being used with standardized testing in schools fail miserably to motivate the test takers. The result is that test scores probably do not give an accurate indication of student abilities, and thus give an inaccurate idea of the performance of schools and teachers.

Schools are now spending the better part of several days administering standardized tests which are meant to evaluate student knowledge in several traditional areas. Do you really believe we need to spend days to determine whether our sons and daughters have acquired appropriate knowledge of mathematics, English, and history? This could be accomplished in four hours, not four days, with the saved time being used to actually teach.

Even if we believe the students are really making their best efforts to succeed on the standardized tests, do we believe schools and teachers are the only and most important factors influencing scores? It is past time to reassign at least some of the responsibility to families and the students themselves. Placing sole blame on teachers and schools when every student is not filled with knowledge is like blaming me for the resulting mess when you order me to pour water into a jar while the lid is on, or when I have a pint jar and am pouring from a gallon container.

I understand the need to measure student outcomes, but let’s try to do it correctly, and to hold all parties, not just schools and teachers, responsible for outcomes. They can only do so much. Praise is due to our legislators for taking this much needed, and long overdue, step to reform the system and to return educating to our schools.

Stan Myers

Washington