Today I met with my fellow district administrators to discuss how to message our standardized test results. Initially, I couldn't figure out why my heart was racing during the discussion and why I wasn't able to fully participate--to be present in the moment. In sum, we were attempting to put a good spin on the data and the unspoken assumption in the room is that we would only mention the good news.
After the meeting, I was able to put my finger on why I felt so out of sorts.
The federal department of education's policies force school districts to play the standardized testing game: districts continue to fail to teach poor, black, English Language Learners, and special education students but still feel pressured to present a different image to their communities. Why are we playing the game when everyone knows where education stands? As a whole, public education has always and continues to fail these students.
Furthermore, it's terrible that districts put so much stock into these test scores. They should be messaging something different to parents and students other than that these tests mean anything other than "some students didn't do well on the exam, this is why, and here's what we're going to do about it." This should not be a high stakes thing to which such great importance is attached. We shouldn't all be siting around a table secretly strategizing about how to best deceive the public and maintain their trust. It's just a test, people. That's what I want to yell: "It's just a test!"
When parents really want to know how their child is doing in school, they ask their child, "How are you doing in school?" Parents, don't be fooled; you already know how your child is doing. You don't need "the numbers" to back it up. You know which teachers are screw-ups, which one your child adores, which one treats your child unfairly, which one gives worksheets every day, which one is worth their weight in gold, which one is racist, which on is sooo very patient with your child, and which ones you'd like to see jump headlong into the Grand Canyon...
District and school staff: please stop telling parents, children, and families that these tests are inherently important. They're not. They simply serve those in power so they can justify the existing social order and so they can say, "Hey you over there! Good job, you get to keep playing the uber-competitive, capitalistic, winner-take-all game that we call society. Maybe we'll give you a decent job later on in life. And you? Well, you don't. Sit down, be a janitor, and shut up."
Frankly, I stopped playing the game a long time ago. Shouldn't our students be afforded the same opportunity? The tests don't measure intelligence. All they measure is how well a teacher taught material to their students, how well prepared students were, how much institutional racism exists in the school, who actually gave a damn when they sat down to take the test, which kids are taught less because they're tracked, etc. But are parents told this? Are students told this? Above all, what these tests measure is more likely a students' engagement with and dedication to the notion of competition in a school environment--which is low to very low for students of some races and ethnicities. They may simply not agree with the the idea of having to prove themselves and compete against their peers.
And the poor soul that doesn't do well on the standardized test? Well let's just remind you of your complete and utter failure with this little test result sheet through the mail, reinforce the stereotype you have of yourself that poor/black/Latino/special education students can't learn, and base every subsequent action toward you on that score so that you can't possibly do well in school, let alone in life. And no, we don't care that you'll carry a negative label around with your for the rest of your educational career. You need that label so we can design the appropriate "intervention" for you. And when you're applying for college and you say, but I'm not stupid, we can point to the piece of paper with the words "Standardized Test" on the top, we can give you a hug out of pity and say, "Yes, you are Sweetie. The test says so and the test doesn't lie. Anyway, according to our risk system, you were destined to fail since kindergarten. You just went ahead and proved our assessment true, that's all. But don't cry. It's okay that you get locked out of having a decent life. Cleaning bathrooms for a living isn't so bad, err, or so I hear..."
Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of holding schools accountable to teaching all students equally well, but the data should be for well-informed administrators and policy-makers, not for students and families. When my children are in school, I plan to opt out of all testing. Opt out and pray for the rest.
