WEAC Backs Broader Criteria for Advancing Pupils From 4th & 8th Grade
A bill that provides for a broad set of criteria in determining whether
to advance students out of 4th and 8th grades makes sound educational
sense, WEAC's Katie Stout testified before the Assembly Education Committee
February 9, 1999.
"As all good teachers know, achievement and learning cannot be
determined by a single measure," said Stout, director of WEAC's
Instruction and Professional Development Division.
She testified in favor of Assembly Bill 94, which would replace the
current high-stakes testing criteria for 4th and 8th graders with a
broader set of criteria to be developed by school boards. Under current
law, beginning in the 2002-03 school year, students will be required
to pass a single high-stakes test to pass out of the 4th and 8th grades.
Under AB94, every school board must develop specific criteria for advancing
students out of those grades. Those criteria would include a pupil's
scores on the performance test, but also include consideration of the
pupil's overall academic performance, the recommendations of teachers,
and any other criteria specified by the school board. Performance on
a single high-stakes test would not be the sole determining factor.
Stout pointed out that WEAC supports state level testing of students.
However, she said research has proven that holding students back "has
a negative effect on school achievement and completion" and that
punitive high-stakes testing "can distort an educational system
in ways that have very high long-term costs."
High-stakes testing is costly to administer and subjects school districts
to lawsuits, she said.
"In general, excessive time is being spent on legal protection
at the expense of improved learning," Stout said. "The learning
is our goal and must remain so for Wisconsin's children."
Stout said one change WEAC would like to see in AB94 is to restore
the provision allowing parents to excuse their children from taking
the tests.
On related topics, Stout said, WEAC believes all schools that receive
public funds should be required to participate in all state testing
and that the high school achievement test should be just one factor
a school board considers for graduation.
Posted February 10, 1999