Lynne Varner's column today is worth a read, since it digs deeper into the story of a Seattle-area teacher refusing to administer the WASL.
The crux of Varner's point: arguments about the WASL aside, ongoing inertia from the status quo has done precious little to improve public education. Furthermore, there are obvious signs that reforms of the last couple decades - much resisted by the education establishment - have not yet made sufficient headway thanks in large part to such opposition.
Read the whole thing.
UPDATE: Robert Jamieson chimes in on the issue as well.
Posted by Eric Earling at April 23, 2008 09:29 PM | Email ThisHow can we get change when the opposition 'leader' is asking for more of the same?
Posted by: Lysander on April 23, 2008 10:03 PMGot it. Rossi should run on vouchers in a state that has shot down modest charter school proposals three times in statewide voting (and by large margins at that).
Thanks for the advice.
Posted by: Eric Earling on April 23, 2008 10:22 PMI applaud him. He believed it, and he stood up for it. How is this somehow a wrong thing? Should he rather have meekly rounded his shoulders and administered a worthless test against his conscience? What happens to people who constantly override their consciences and follow orders blindly because "it's their job"?
He knew he could be fired. He felt it was worth it, to make the statement. Does anybody *really* believe his students were harmed by not taking a test, the results of which would not be used to help correct learning gaps?
Go get yourself a copy of Seattle author and researcher John Medina's book "Brain Rules" and hear what he has to say about how the brain learns. Then ask yourself again what "teaching to the test" (in this case the WASL) has to do with actual learning. And then get back to me.
Posted by: Angela B. on April 23, 2008 10:32 PMThe WASL is an aggressive testing scheme designed mostly to validate the WEA and protect it from greater taxpayer scrutiny. If they can point to "objective" results of the WASL and think that all is good in education, then it's that much harder for taxpayer watchdogs to point out the fundamental flaws in construvist curricula.
I have a relative in Kindergarten at a WA school. The assessment program for No Child Left behind even covers down to that level. Suddenly the child is subject to a stranger apart from their regular teacher who quickly attempts to glean the child's aptitude on a range of subjects. In the case of my relative, who is somewhat reserved, she was afraid of the male assessment droid who was sent in to gather results for her class to justify both the federal and WA requirements that everything was just hunky dory. Under such scrutiny, my relative clammed up, and was assessed at a much lower level than she was actually at. It only became apparent when her parent accidentally discovered she was placed in to a much lower level reading group than her actual reading proficiency.
There's no way that we can ever drive education from top down constructivist policy. Education is a one-on-one art best practiced by skilled teachers. In our current system, the teaching profession is far too underpaid to ever attract a majority of the kind of talent that we have in say, the high tech sector, financial sector, etc. Sure there are some great teachers, but $30K a year doesn't impress most people in to starting a career in teaching.
The solution is to do away with the WEA and the vast layers of bureacracy that exist at all levels of WA public education. Take all of the wasted tax dollars that create a per student cost of $10,000 per year, and instead create lean and mean local entities with vigorous compeition for high teacher pay.
Go study asian cultures where kids far exceed the aptitude of most of our WA children. It doesn't take a lot of fancy new buildings, fancy classroom props, etc. and numerous expensive field trips and side shows to provide a great education. It takes some time tested non-constructivist curricula, and good teachers who have competed for their positions, and not a whole lot more.
WA is mostly a lost cause, because the WEA and the unions are in the stranglehold of Democrats who see far more value in indoctrination of kids for political ends than in actually educating children. That might change as the results continue to decline or the transportation infrastructure fails completely, etc. and voters wake up and sweep the statists out of power.
Until then, teach your kids as much supplementary information as you can at home. Watch their teachers and administrators like hawks, and / or just pony up to send your kids to a private school where you will at least get some more control and discipline.
Education divorced from competitive forces will always produce a mediocre result.
I found Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan's reaction to the referenced Coleman report fascinating...
But in 1966, the Coleman report, the result of the largest social science project in history, reached a conclusion so "seismic" -- Moynihan's description -- that the government almost refused to publish it.Released quietly on the Fourth of July weekend, the report concluded that the qualities of the families from which children come to school matter much more than money as predictors of schools' effectiveness. The crucial common denominator of problems of race and class -- fractured families -- would have to be faced.
...and quite telling in how far liberalism has strayed.
Because it's the Seattle school district not the Carl Chew School district.
"Should he rather have meekly rounded his shoulders and administered a worthless test against his conscience?"
Worthless in the eyes of who? Carl Chew? the last time I checked it wasn't the Carl Chew board of education, but the Washington state board of education. If he wants to provide input I encourage him to get a seat on the board. Short of that, administer the test and keep your mouth shut.
I'm tired of the excuses from Teacher, parents and students alike about this test. 12th grade graduates are only asked to perform up to 8th grade level upon graduation. Test anxiety my @$$. There are two types of test takers:
Those prepared and those unprepared- PERIOD!!
If you want my tax dollars I want something in return.
They may as well have named it the WAAAHH-SL for all the caterwauling it's produced.
Posted by: Rick D. on April 24, 2008 05:59 AMOne of the best tests I took was at the end of College. It was the Engineering EIT test, which measured ones grasp of the basic engineering theories (Statics, Dynamics, Thermodynamics, Physics, etc.). It was an all day (8 hour) open book test. Engineers could bring all their textbooks and notebooks from their four years of study, but if they didn't know the subject matter, there is no way for them to short-cut their way through the test. It was grueling and comprehensive and truly measure engineering knowledge.
I think it should be the same way with High School students, but the tests should measure knowledge and not style of presentation (like the current Math WASL). They should be able to be objectively measured and not depend on the interpretation of the grader. Yes, essay type questions may be appropriate in English to measure ones grasp of writing and constructing thoughts, but Math should measure Math knowledge.
Posted by: tc on April 24, 2008 07:48 AMIs the WASL screwed up? Yeah, probably. That's no excuse not to hand out the test. Take your case to the principal, school board, or legislature.
NEWS FLASH - there are a lot of things screwed up in every occupation, but as an employee you're being compensated to do what is asked of you.
Some people seem to forget that there's a reason why it's called "work".
Posted by: Smoley on April 24, 2008 10:33 AMAs an engineering student, I was stunned by the lack of English proficiency shown by students who were "straight A" students that were studying to get a Liberal Arts degree or a teaching certificate. It truly was pathetic. A professor, retired, explained it to me one day: They are not graded on their English skills, they are graded on how closely they follow the orthodoxy. I guess that is Okay for humanities majors, but in engineering if you don't know your stuff people lose their life as a result. My sister's kids said they could have slept throught the WASL and passed it, but she made sure they knew the material (Kumon) and believe me, the last thing she cared about is whether or not her kids thought she was a "cool mom" or "their friend." One of the kids went to Belermine and the other two were given the option of leaving Saint Pats and going to public school and to Stadium and banking the tuition to use at college - by that time my sister had had a belly full of Jesuits (it took her about four decades past the time I had come to the conclusion that the Jesuits are a scandal and a disgrace to the Church and need to go). The students who suffer most from a lack of objective testing are those students who actually need it the most.
Posted by: JDH on April 24, 2008 10:39 AMMany parents blindly send their kids in to take WASL and they have never thought of it as a choice. Now they are talking. They had no idea a test could be so controversial or that other tests are available and are far superior to WASL.
By the way, I just drove my kids into school (I don't allow them to take WASL so they go to school 2 to 3 hours late in the mornings)and the schools are doing absolutely nothing this week (same as last week). No homework, no normal classes just kickball, films and 'hanging out'. I don't know why I bother to send them to school during WASL at all. WASL is weeks of wastefulness.
Posted by: Whole Lotta Rosie on April 24, 2008 11:40 AMMy oldest will be in high school next year. At that time we will be moving all of our kids to a private school, so we can get away from the WASL mess, and my kids can focus on college entrance skills and the SAT. Ever since WASL took over the schools it is hard to find AP classes.
Also my kids take the CAT (California Achievement Test) every year at Sylvan. My kids go to Sylvan since all that is taught in the public schools is WASL math (not basic skills, and will not prepare kids for college).
Please rest assured that my kids will have no trouble competing for jobs, but thanks for your concern.
Posted by: Whole Lotta Rosie on April 24, 2008 12:24 PMI would agree with you on the lack of English skills, but I would state that it is the case in general for a lot of students. It is the one area where I see my elementary, high school, and college classes lacked. Yet, communication skills is probably one of the most important skills in business.
Posted by: tc on April 24, 2008 12:50 PMThe WASL is DEFINATLY NOT OBJECTIVE. It is the MOST SUBJECTIVE TEST I have ever heard of. That is one reason why I don't let my kids take it.
There are better tests out there (like the CAT), but as long as people keep accepting the WASL, we will never get them in place. Our state superintendent has cut off all funding for other tests.
WASL measuring progress? I could have told you for free that education is terrible and we have a racial gap. Did we really need to spend millions on the WASL to tell us this?
How about a test that PROMOTES progress in education? To get this we would have to scrap all of the 'inquiry based' curricula and go back to traditional.
Testing is one way to measure progress (if it is a good test), but other ways is by measuring college readiness in incoming college freshman, and by the school's ability to provide a skilled labor market to local businesses. Both of these things have gone down since WASL has been implemented!
Posted by: Whole Lotta rosie on April 24, 2008 01:13 PMCare to elaborate? or are all those capitalized words supposed to serve as a definitive without facts to back it up?
Posted by: Rick D. on April 24, 2008 01:38 PMThese test are already available and have been available since DAY ONE. It is Terry Bergeson that insisted on creating our own test (The WASL)and she has based it on 'inquiry' type curricula. If you don't know what that is, do some research!
We can't get rid of this curricula unless we get rid of the test!
Also, when my oldest was in 4th grade, his homework became stranger and stranger ('inquiry" based).
He took the WASL in the Spring and felt like he passed (remeber, results don't come back until the next school year). The teachers spent alot of time prepping for it, so he should have.
Then in the summer I took him to Sylvan for the first time. They have life long testing (CAT test). The result from his CAT test reveiled that he failed (results were back in a week). He had the typical 'holes' in his skill level of kids that are taught with 'inquiry math'.
In September when his WASL scores came. He Passed!
My kids have been in Sylvan ever since. He has never failed a CAT test since then.
Keep in mind that not only are other tests like the CAT more reliable, but they are far cheaper, less time consuming, and results are back much sooner.
Posted by: Whole Lotta Rosie on April 24, 2008 01:49 PMLast year on a show called "KCTS Connects' (Channel 9 in the Seattle area). They featured two test scores, John Koudela and Anna Rhoads, that previously worked for Pearson (Pearson is the company that scores WASL).
They described a situation where answers changed hourly. Pearson constantly hung big sheets of paper up around the scoring room, with 'new' acceptable answers. (If you are not familiar with WASL. most questions require a written explanation, which is why WASL is hand-scored). Koudela said that one question generated 13 pages of changes, and he never saw tests rescored after a change was made.
I wish the show would air again, as it is really shocking.
Also if you have kids in public school, you will know that teachers are always telling the students that correct answers are not all that important on WASL, it is how you explain your thinking. This is repeated over and over in WASL
prep.
I have also spoke to parents that viewed their child's WASL tests. They said scoring was inconsistent.
This is why it is so important to demand an accurate test.
Posted by: Whole Lotta Rosie on April 24, 2008 02:03 PMYou obviously don't have kids in public school. If you did, then you would not even ask me to prove that WASL is subjective. You would know just by all the WASL practice questions kids bring home.
Honestly, I think some of you would laugh your heads off if you knew what your support for WASL was doing.
And JDH,
I'm not sure if WASLized kids will be able to make change, but they could sure give you a great written explanation or draw you a picture on how to make change.
Correct, I'm too busy paying so that yours can attend.
"If you did, then you would not even ask me to prove that WASL is subjective. You would know just by all the WASL practice questions kids bring home."
I ask for specifics and you give me what? Got any Examples? How come the asian kids can ace these tests? or is the subjective questions geared only toward whites and asians?
I'm tired of the excuse train chugging by....while educators,students and their inattentive parents have no goal to drive to in education. Shall we just wrap them in bubblewrap and send them down the street and hope for the best?
It sounds like you are engaged in your childrens learning......congrats......you are the exception to the rule though!! I'm accountable at my job, when will the teachers and parents start taking responsibility for their product?
An specific answer would be nice.
Posted by: Rick D. on April 24, 2008 04:36 PMWhat makes the WASL so good compared to others like the SAT, CAT (California Achievement Test) or the MAP (Measures of Academic Progress)?
Are you aware that these test are cheaper and less time consuming?
And by the way, How specific do you want me to get to prove the WASL is subjective. Would you like me to fax the pictures or the essays that my kids work on in math class? Some of their math problems do not even contain numbers!
Posted by: Whole Lotta Rosie on April 24, 2008 04:55 PMThis teacher is a big dud. His motive for not using the WASL is his leftist "social progress" viewpoint. He has no merit being in a classroom instructing students. I would fire him in a second.
Posted by: jd on April 24, 2008 05:42 PMBoth created by the University of Iowa's College of Education in 1942, as part of a program to develop a series of nationally accepted standardized achievement tests.
Math is not a random set of numbers conveniently packed with a + sign, - sign , or x sign. It is a language that prepares the student for life on the outside. Word problems help students to understand that language. Alot of people during this subprime mortgage crisis could have used some of these classes obviously as they got in over their heads and guess what? It's their fault.
If this state wants to go its own way and establish its own, I guess that's their problem. I say why re-invent the wheel when someone has already invented a better one. Take it up with Queen Christine.
Either way, I want a student assessment test so that these kids aren't set up for failure in Universities(which is the current status). This dumbing down of America has got to stop somewhere and I say anything is better than the status quo that has existed in this state for 25 years since the liberals have taken over the NEA and WEA.
Just my $.02 worth.
Cheers
Posted by: Rick D. on April 24, 2008 06:56 PMIt was hard for TB to convince people that education was improving based on WASL scores when other tests did not produce any improvement. So she got rid of them.
It is TB that insisted that Washington State produce its own test in the 1990s and not use a test that was already availble. Part of the reason is that she is a big beleiver in 'inquiry' based education. This is where little teaching takes place, and students must 'discover' there way through problems. WASL is based on this method.
Part of the problem with ITBS & ITED is that they are norm referenced tests and not standards referenced. But it is good to know how our kids are doing compared to the rest of the country. I wouldn't mind students doing a norm reference tests every so often.
The MAP test claims it can do both; tell us how kids are doing in terms of state standards and compared to the rest of the country.
The ITBS is about $6, the MAP is about $12, and WASL is $112. ITBS scores are back in about 3 months. MAP scores are back in 72 hours, and WASL scores are not back until the next school year due to all the written explanations that must be hand-scored.
Posted by: Whole Lotta Rosie on April 24, 2008 07:40 PMI was told by numerous news accounts that the WASL test only holds Seniors to pass at the 8th grade level of comprehension in all areas. I'm not sure how this is exactly some kind of obstacle that will generate ADHD, acne and severe bouts of anxiety or depression in a prepared High school student that has unlimited chances to take and pass this testing. Instead of pissing and moaning about this low expectation, most parents should be demanding more from the teachers and themselves and by extension their students. This is the 21st century people, remember?
I guess my bubblewrap scenario provides better odds than what we're currently getting with the (dys)educational system in this state, but by all means continue the echo chamber of ignorance and elect Christine Gregoire as Governor once again.
Posted by: Rick D. on April 24, 2008 08:39 PMAre you directing this comment to me?
If so, I find it insulting that you would assume to know how I vote.
I visit this site because I am a republican, but if I wanted to be insulted so much I would go to Horse's Ass.
I am used to being in the minority when it comes to my opposition to WASL, but I also find that most WASL supporters know little about the WASL test or the curricula that comes with it.
What they really want is high educational standards and a reliable assessment system.
If you listen to the anti-WASL crowd you will realize that we want the same things. We are familiar with WASL and its curricula to know that it will never get us there.
JDH writes that he wants employees to be able to figure change when the cash register breaks down. Did you know that the WASL promotes the use of calculators starting in the third grade? So WASL curriculum sees no reason to drill kids on simple computation.
And Rick D., writes that he want kids ready for college.
WASL does not meet the demands to assess college readiness (nor does it go up to that skill level in math). We already have a test for that. The SAT. Why not support the use of SAT scores?
I really think y'all are supporting the wrong test.
And please don't expect the new grads to use proper grammar and spelling. Grammar and spelling are not counted on the WASL, so they are no longer taught. My 8th grader has never once had a spelling test thanks to WASL.
Next year when my kids are out of public school, I will still be opposing the WASL. (Most anti-WASL people DO NOT have kids in public school). Every year there is talk in Olympia of requiring WASL in private schools and homeschoolers.
This would be terrible!
The WASL is not giving me anything in return for my tax dollar. It is not reliable and I want a better, cheaper test that can be done in a few hours instead of weeks! The MAP test is on the radar for replacing the WASL if Rich Semler gets voted in for superintendent.
Thank goodness WASL testing is over and I can send my kids back to school tomorow. They will probably be having 'End of WASL' parties tomorrow. Great.
No. It is directed at all Washingtonians. That is why I posted prior to the line you took offense to"...provides better odds than what we're currently getting with the (dys)educational system in this state,...".
I am in support of assessment tests period. It would make sense to use the most effective test whether it comes from Iowa or Angola, but apparently the Washington state Board of Education knows better. I will have to study this issue deeper given some of what Whole Lotta Rosie has posted.
As for the teacher Mr. Chew, I don't think I can tell my boss "sorry, I'm not finishing that project because I, your subordinate have decided it's not in my best interest to do so" and neither should Mr. Chew. The education is screwed up enough without having rogue teachers going their own direction. This state should just change the name to "Bored of Education" as it apparently isn't inclined to advance it in the school system.
It's 3am in Olympia....and your child is illiterate...who do you call?
Christine Gregoire's phone is clearly disconnected so who has Plan B?
Posted by: Rick D. on April 25, 2008 06:55 AMIt is silly that we are argueing about how a school should be run. Do we argue about how any other business should be run? No... we let business owners do that and we chose the ones that give us the best result.
The education industry SHOULD be done the same way. If I was a teacher I would certainly appreciate not ahving to beg to the public to pressure the government everytime I wanted a raise!
Posted by: Lysander on April 25, 2008 04:09 PMThe problem arose when WA picked the WASL to do that measuring. No only does it cost enormously more that national standardized tests such as the IOWA Test of Basic Skills, and others, it also values writing skills above all else in EVERY subject. Assessment good, WASL not so good.
Posted by: Ann on April 27, 2008 11:07 AMI could write quite a bit more on this and get into Terry Bergeson's doctorial thesis, but that would be too much to digest for any person that has no idea where WASL comes from and who's behind it.
One last thing I want to say about WASL being racial biased.
On WASL tests a student receives a score between 1 and 4 (1 is the worst, 4 is the best). A passing score is a 3 or 4. Now you probably here about all the remedial help available for kids that didn't pass, right? Well, did you know it was only for students that scored a 2? That's right. The students that received a 1 were not asked to come in for remedial help!!! And I can bet what racial group they belonged to!
Kids that score a 2 (just below passing level) are referred to as the 'bubble kids' (a term coined by the Texas school system). The theory is that schools should spend their resources on the students that they can likely get to pass. The students that work too far below standard would probably never pass, so it is considered a waste to spend any effort on them. Our state educational office-OSPI (Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction) said that this is a district choice! As far as I can tell, this was very common. We have been crying in Olympia over this for years. (I hear they fixed it this year-Finally!!!)
I bet most pro-WASL people just assumed remedial classes were offered to all students. That would be too logical. WASL is anything but logical. You would have to experience it to believe it.
Isn't the proper parent supposed to expect that the school would help their child if a student was lacking in skills? It is this situation that brings some parents to the anti-WASL movement. If I had to guess what makes up the typical anti-WASL parent I would say that most of us either have kids in special ed, that perform way below grade level or high academic achievers that have found that the high schools see no reason to educate them past the realms of WASL. Hence all the incoming college freshman that lack higher level math skills, as WASL barely touches on algebra.
Here is a typical example of anti-WASLer's child: (sorry link wont work, I will have to cut & paste in a post below)
This post is getting too long. I better send it off.
Posted by: Whole Lotta Rosie on April 27, 2008 08:48 PMIt's time for lame-duck math WASL, which kids don't have to pass
Kevin Graman
Staff writer
April 14, 2008
When you're a senior in high school, it can be hard to wrap your
brain around the concept of inevitability. That whole death and taxes
thing is so down-the-road.
But graduation, now that's something an 18-year-old can get behind,
even one who's spent his teenage years resisting the Washington
Assessment of Student Learning.
This is the week North Central High School senior Adam Kuntz learns
that resistance is futile, at least where the state Office of
Superintendent of Public Instruction is concerned. Like thousands of
students throughout the state, he is taking the math portion of the
WASL - sort of.
The anti-WASL student activist is showing up for the test, but he's
not planning on passing it - not by a long shot.
The math portion of the WASL, which only about half of Washington
students pass each year, will be phased out by 2014 under a law
signed last month by Gov. Chris Gregoire. The state had already
delayed the requirement that students pass the math and science
portions of the WASL to graduate.
So from now through 2012, students have to take, but not necessarily
pass, the WASL in math. And that includes Kuntz, who, with the
support of his family, fellow students and some teachers, hadn't
taken the test in reading, writing, science or math since the fourth
grade.
"It's a defeat in the sense that I had to take it for graduation,"
Kuntz said, "but a victory in that I am doing the minimum I have to
graduate but not anything more."
With a 3.9 grade-point average, and better than average scores on his
Advance Placement, Pre-Scholastic Aptitude and Scholastic Aptitude
tests, Kuntz has already been accepted at St. Louis University's
Madrid campus in Spain this fall.
All he lacks is a diploma, and he can't get that without at least
attempting to take the WASL, according to OSPI.
"You have to make an attempt at the test, this is the directive we
get from the state," said Steven Gering, Kuntz's principal at North
Central High.
There are alternatives to passing the math, reading and writing
portions of the test. Showing proficiency in a subject by achieving
acceptable scores on other tests, such as the PSAT, ACT, SAT or
advanced placement, is one such alternative, but only if the student
at least attempts the WASL.
"You have to score," Gering said.
That's all Kuntz intends to do. Before taking the reading and writing
sections of the WASL last month, he contacted OSPI to ascertain "what
entails generating a score" on the exams.
He said the state's response was to answer two questions on each
section.
So Kuntz spent seven minutes each day of the test, filling in
multiple-choice answers at random and answering essay questions in a
single sentence.
For example, asked to describe how life must have been for the
Iceman, a mummy found in the Alps from about 3300 B.C., Kuntz
wrote: "Life for the Iceman was hard and cold."
Kuntz and some parents and teachers groups oppose the WASL as a high-
stakes test. They say it is unfair, expensive and not an appropriate
assessment for student graduation. The Washington Education
Association estimates the cost of administering the WASL in 2006-07
was $114 million, including federal, state and local funds.
"experts make sure they have no "unfair and biasing features," Willhoft said. "For example, we don't use the words 'tennis' or 'golf.'"
That quote is from ABC News 4/25/2008.
Gotta laugh.
Posted by: Whole Lotta Rossie on April 27, 2008 10:15 PM1. We have hundreds of member all across the state and are growing everyday as people realize that WASL offers nothing to improve education.
2. Members of the group have various opinions on high-stakes testing, standardized testing, and No Child Left Behind. The one thing we all agree on is that WASL is a bad test, is actually detrimental to education and needs to go.
3. Most members DO NOT have children in public school, but did at one time and had some experience with WASL and/or its curriculum. The few members that DO have children in public school supplement their children's education at home.
4. Most anti-WASL parents work in fields that require math and/or science degrees.
5. Math is a particular concern for most members, so we are keeping a watchful eye on math in this state. We would like to scrap the 'discovery' method and go to traditional method of teaching math. The same traditional methods that are used by nations that are considered leaders in math like Singapore and Finland.
6. The members that have typical developing children (no disabilities) have college bound students and/or kids that have already graduated from college.
7. Many members do have children with disabilities (born with birth defects, not made-up, brought on by bad parenting like some people imply). These are the kids that need their parents to advocate for them. However, we do understand that the demand for these kids to take WASL (or whatever state test) comes from the federal level and not the state.
8. We feel that the standards we value and would like to see taught are much higher than WASL standards.