Not Keeping Their End of the Bargain

In Idaho_Rules for Thoroughness are found the reasons we administer assessments in public schools.

02. Purposes. The purpose of assessment in the public schools is to: (3-15-02)
a. Measure and improve student achievement; (3-15-02)
b. Assist classroom teachers in designing lessons; (3-15-02)
c. Identify areas needing intervention and remediation, and acceleration; (3-15-02)
d. Assist school districts in evaluating local curriculum and instructional practices in order to make
needed curriculum adjustments; (3-15-02)
e. Inform parents and guardians of their child’s progress;
f. Provide comparative local, state and national data regarding the achievement of students in
essential skill areas; (3-15-02)
g. Identify performance trends in student achievement across grade levels tested and student growth
over time; and (3-15-02)
h. Help determine technical assistance/consultation priorities for the State Department of Education

Those seem like somewhat legitimate reasons for the assessments.

But here is a list of items the assessments won’t be doing this year:

a. Measure and improve student achievement; (3-15-02)
b. Assist classroom teachers in designing lessons; (3-15-02)
c. Identify areas needing intervention and remediation, and acceleration; (3-15-02)
d. Assist school districts in evaluating local curriculum and instructional practices in order to make
needed curriculum adjustments; (3-15-02)
e. Inform parents and guardians of their child’s progress;
f. Provide comparative local, state and national data regarding the achievement of students in
essential skill areas; (3-15-02)
g. Identify performance trends in student achievement across grade levels tested and student growth
over time; and (3-15-02)
h. Help determine technical assistance/consultation priorities for the State Department of Education

 

They look surprisingly like the same list because they are.

This is a little snippet from a letter sent  to superintendents, charter school administrators and principals from TJ Bliss with the SDOE. (Click on it to enlarge.)  Idaho won’t be receiving any data back from the SBAC field test because the state can’t afford it.   If Idaho doesn’t receive any data back there’s no way we can accomplish the above list of requirements.  Basically this test is a waste of your children’s time and effort.  This is a test to test the test.

If the state is going to tell you your child is required to take the assessment, shouldn’t the state be required to fulfill their end of the bargain?

One more reason to opt out.