REPORT’S REPLETE WITH POINTS TO CONSIDER ABOUT TESTING OF GARDEN STATE STUDENTS
Panel’s review of use of standardized exams stresses need to review goals of all student assessments and to not rush change
Lost in the drama over whether New Jersey would drop the Common Core State Standards was a second report from the Christie administration this month that raised a number of important points about state testing.
The final report from the Study Commission on the Use of Student Assessment was the result of year-long effort by panel members from across the philosophical spectrum, ranging from the state chamber of commerce to two panelists nominated by the New Jersey Education Association, the teachers union.
Some notable news from the report has already been aired, including its continued backing of the online PARCC exams and some recommendations for new high school graduation requirements starting in 2020.
But the report included close to 50 recommendations, including several calling for more effective communication about the value and purpose of the standardized assessments. It made clear that current lines of communication are not working.
While the report supported ongoing review of the Common Core, it also suggested that the state give districts ample time to adapt and not change too much at once.
For example, it recommended the state stick with its current science standards, which are not as high profile as the Common Core but equally significant , at least for science educators.
And it called on local school districts to be more open about their own testing outside the state-mandated exams in terms of what tests they give their students and why they are administered.
Here, verbatim, are10 key recommendations in the report:
No. 3: The Study Commission recommends that the NJDOE provide school districts with the time, support, professional learning, and communication necessary to accommodate any changes to the standards that might impact the school district’s planning, implementation, and decision making about curriculum, instruction, and/or instructional resources.
No. 5: The Study Commission fully supports the NJDOE’s efforts in the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and recommends that all education stakeholders support and promote the new science standards.
No. 14: The Study Commission recommends that the NJDOE, in cooperation with State educational associations and advocacy groups, develop and launch a proactive communication campaign throughout the State regarding: (a) the State’s role and responsibilities … ; (b) best practices in assessment of all student populations … ; and (c) what the NJDOE determines to be the most common, frequently occurring, and widespread misunderstandings and inaccuracies about educational standards and the use of student assessments in New Jersey’s public schools.
No. 20: The Study Commission recommends that school districts conduct a thorough inventory and analysis of their own student assessment systems …
The Study Commission further recommends that the NJDOE commission a comprehensive research study in which the information generated in the above Report’s Replete with Points to Consider About Testing of Garden State Students - NJ Spotlight: