Editorial: APS board blows off bill for standardized tests
One lesson students should learn is that they are expected to meet their obligations. That includes paying their bills. But last week four Albuquerque Public Schools board members failed to show proficiency in that basic concept.
The board on a 4-3 voice vote said it wasn’t going to reimburse the state $1.46 million for administering a federally mandated test that is tied to millions of dollars in federal funding. It was at best a juvenile and irresponsible action designed to send a politically charged message to the New Mexico Public Education Department.
What should have been a routine vote – so routine that Board President Don Duran didn’t ask for a roll call vote – turned into an unnecessary cause celebre. Voting in favor of paying the bill were Duran, Vice President Analee Maestas and board member Peggy Muller-Aragon. Opposed were board members Lorenzo Garcia, Barbara Petersen, Steven Michael Quezada and David Peercy.
This is the first year the PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) was given in New Mexico. And for the first time, the state paid global testing company Pearson directly instead of having the state’s 89 districts deal separately with the firm. The state quite rightly expects to be reimbursed by all of them. APS is the only district to refuse at this point.
PARCC tests have drawn widespread opposition in New Mexico and other states from teacher unions as well as from some parents and individual teachers. Dozens of teachers rallied in front of APS headquarters before Wednesday’s meeting to protest their evaluations that now are tied to student performance on the PARCC and other standardized tests.
The cost of the test shouldn’t be an issue. In fact, the bill for PARCC was less than what APS paid last year for the Standards Based Assessment the district used last year. APS paid $1.53 million to the New Hampshire-based test company Measured Progress for that standardized test.
While some educators and board members may not like the state’s choice of tests, not paying the bill isn’t an option. Especially when not doing so might jeopardize $400 million New Mexico is due to receive in federal funds.
Those APS board members who voted not to pay this bill might remember that APS interacts with PED in many ways. Going out of its way to make a statement could have consequences. Not to mention the poor message it sends to students, parents and the taxpayers who foot the bill.
This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.Editorial: APS board blows off bill for standardized tests | Albuquerque Journal News:
