Most special education kids take the regular tests with accommodations. The accommodation of extra time usually means that I need to plan to double the time allotted for the test. Also, scribing takes an incredible amount of time with all the short answer and extended responses. Finally, most special ed teachers have more than one grade. Each grade needs to be tested separately. Add a few more days! I totalled the amount of time devoted to testing at my school. It will take me approximately EIGHT weeks over the course of the year–one entire marking period testing, rather than teaching, some of our most needy students! Their scores count too for CCS and for them personally.

Teachers set their academic expectations according to directives that they receive from educational pedagogy as well as the school administration. From the pedagogical perspective, teachers are expected to be “student centered.” These means taking into account the various learning styles and offering diverse assessment opportunities for each student to display their areas of strength. The administration continually tells us that we are failing too many students—even though the classroom failure rates are generally lower than the OGT failure rates! Because of these directives, teachers tend to construct grading systems that are largely not reflective of whether students have “mastered” the subject matter—according to the definition of mastery set forth by the state department and as reflected in the OGT tests.

How can students strive in an education system where there are contradicting definitions of subject mastery? The curriculum of course defines the subject areas and skills necessary for subject mastery. However, it nowhere defines objective assessment standards, meaning in what form (i.e., writing, projects, homework, multiple choice assessments) students must demonstrate their understanding and how those assessment results should be factored into the students’ final class grades. Nonetheless it is implied by the OGT graduation requirement that students should be able to demonstrate their understanding on INDEPENDENT, OBJECTIVE measures of assessment. If students cannot do this, they should not be allowed to graduate, regardless of all other factors. So why are teachers strongly discouraged from all directions to assess students in this form?

I think it makes basic common sense to align classroom academic expectations to the graduation expectations, as long as these graduation expectations, whether we agree with them or not, are in place. This means that administration would encourage teachers to greatly increase the weighting that is placed on independent assessments (i.e., TESTS) in the calculation of the final grade. Doing so would likely result in a classroom failure rate that roughly corresponds to the OGT failure rate. This would mean that students would have to retake classes for subjects that they have not shown mastery—and relearn the OGT concepts that they are lacking. This would also mean that students would go through high school with a clear understanding of the types of academic expectations they are to meet in order for our society to consider them as literate. We need to put aside whatever differing opinions we may have about what constitutes as valid assessment for the sake of creating this unambiguous pathway for success for our kids. Our society cannot afford to continue to play a cruel trick our children by nurturing them in a feel-good fantasy world of multiple intelligences, multiple assessments and green-colored marking pens* when most of us grownups know well that students will eventually step up against the cold and merciless reality of standardized testing. This kind of escapist approach will not put food on the table in the real world–and our kids, the inner city kids, don’t have the benefit of having savvy educated parents to point out to them the schizophrenic injustice of it all.
* We were told not to use red because it “injures students’ self esteem.” I don’t think that the color of the marking pen really a priority concern when, as it is, students are in jeopardy of live long failure issues because of lack of basic literacy.

My students who desperately need the interventions that the Safety Net teachers provide are missing out on 2 entire weeks of small group reading instruction. With Domine, DIEBELS, and CIMS testing, they have barely had any whole group reading instruction during the past month either.

Just another example of how much instruction time is being lost due to over-testing.

Wow.

This is quite a lot of information to process. I believe it is quite clear that no one is a big fan of standardized assessment. As a 9th and 12th grade teacher I do not feel the strain of testing as acutely as many of my colleagues; however, I know that standardized testing has become all consuming.

It is becoming obvious that most if not all curriculum decision are based on meeting the “needs” of the tests that we administer. We as a professional community need to redirect this conversation, much like we redirect are students, to what and how are students are learning. That is the point of these assessment. Unless we stand united on these issues the district will continue on this misguided quest to “standardizing” teaching at Columbus City School.

We, the CEA, must stand up and say “NO” to unnecessary testing. And that if we are required to test, that we teachers are given sufficent training and time to process and use the data being generated. As it stands now we are innudated with so much information that we can not make nearly enough sense for it to have impact on our classroom and on our student.

We must stop the “practice” OATs and OGTs that generate no useful data. We must demand a records day each quarter to process through this information and allow it to guide our practice.

We must demand that these assessment do not take away from the classroom’s real purpose — to educate students.p>

By the time my students have gotten to the eighth grade, they have taken about 20 large tests every year (this includes the OAT’s and the end of the grading period assessments). It does not cover the simulated writing assessments, the IN VIEW and all the other “things” that we test the students on. NONE of these tests have any direct effect on the student, or on their grades, except the discomfort that they have to endure while taking the test. In effect, we are teaching them that the tests they take have no consequence to them, and they can do as they please. It never has before.

HOWEVER, at the beginning of the 10th grade (only a few months from the day I start teaching them), the TESTS take on a whole new meaning as the Ohio Graduation Tests. If they cannot pass these tests, they will not graduate. I know my students CANNOT grasp this concept. They honestly believe that the tests are not worth bothering about because there is no reason to actually try. (Experience has told them that if they don’t pass “the test”, they suffer no consequences.)

While I understand the politics and reason for this stance, from the student’s point of view, we are actually teaching them to fail the OGT, by testing a whole lot, and having no consequences.

I am teaching from a cart, so I see what is going on in your classrooms. Usually staff members take time for a break during my class time. Not now. They are furiously working throughout the day AND their planning periods. No time for anything else. Barely time to teach, too.

We all are not ones that shirk our responsibilities, but this is unbearable. Testing is affecting the kids and they are lulled into complacency….the kids are BORED. What’s worse is that they have little time for recess or “down time”. Child development experts would consider this to be detrimental to our students. WHERE IS THE LOVE OF LOVE OF LEARNING?

If the students are giving up their recess for finishing work, spending time with their teacher, going to band/choir/other classes - when do THEY get a break? Yes - some of our students are TUTORED during lunch. They bring their lunches into the library, eat lunch there, and continue tutoring. I can’t stand watching them trying to keep up.

One benefit to teaching music is that I give the students a time to learn in a creative manner. Hands on. Expression. Whole brain learning. Cross-curricular lessons. Geography. Math…etc. I’m sure you’ve heard that before, but when am I supposed to teach when my classes are cancelled for testing? The tests preempt everything and all staff will be involved in administering them. When I help with testing, my other students not taking the tests do not have music. The tests shortchange these kids, too. I have my own standards and a curriculum to complete, too. NCLB has killed my music program, too! I lost nearly everything I built my career on because of testing and NCLB. Sorry, but my students are left behind, too.

It makes me MAD when I see my friends stressed out like this! The testing, paperwork, grade cards, IEP’s, meetings, and so on are killing them. They simply are not able to teach! WHEN is it going to stop???

***Personally, I can remember the first meetings we had waaaaay back when the “proficiency” tests were developed/administered. We were told that it would not be the only yardstick to determine progress. We were told that it was merely a measurement of what WE were teaching our kids. All staff knew that this wasn’t true because the tests would determine which teachers were “successful” - regardless of factors affecting our classroom environment.

I told my colleagues at the time that this was the sign that they were putting “the cart ahead of the horse”, i.e. the test determining our curriculum and teaching schedules. Was I right, or what?

A family member of mine (remaining nameless) was complaining about education, “the kids of today”, etc. I think I blew a fuse and told that person what education was really like. They were shocked when I told them about the amount of testing, paperwork, etc. They didn’t know what to say.

As members of CEA, we cannot ever speak out individually to media to let them know what is going on. I truly understand that because we need to be united as a group. Inflamatory comments would be detrimental to us all. We cannot appear divided. Please CEA - can someone representing us there tell others our story? Can someone let our community know what we are faced with regarding testing and NCLB?

I’m FED UP! THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE POINTS THAT I WANT TO INCLUDE IN OUR NEXT CONTRACT.

We ask them to sit there for 2 hours, do a test that has things that we haven’t covered yet, and then ask them to sit while we instruct them the rest of the day. My kids are so antsy by the afternoon, it’s all I can do to keep them focused and not running around the room. Especially since we now don’t have recess due to the weather. Do the “ivory tower” people understand that each week we are testing them for some reason or another — because they say we need the data?

Data that does what?

Tell me that my students aren’t doing well …… because I don’t have the time to instruct on anything?

I actually don’t really have to read the instructions to the tests because my students know them by heart already, as do I. And by the way — I am sorry if I repeated something that someone else already said……..I didn’t have time to read everything posted here because I need to go grade all the tests that I just gave, grade the work that my students have done, get my lessons ready, and call several parents about behavior issues before going to bed tonight.

My husband just said that “you are not teachers — you are testers.” I think he hit it right on the nail head!!

The problem is that the administration & principals in various buildings were not informed of this new deadline, so they made it impossble for anyone to adhere to the union’s assertion that the deadline was indeed the 8th of Feb. and not Jan. 24th. And, while it was wonderful to receive the information that Dr. Harris agrees with the union and the deadline is indeed 2-8-08, it comes much too late, as Jan. 24 was 6 days ago and many CEA members not wanting to cause any (or further issues) with their building administrator have already submitted their scores for scanning.

I know that this gross miscommunication has caused myself and many others untold and unnecessary grief. I have been told by a 3rd party that because I did not plan to have my tests graded by the 24 (which I did, due to pressure from my administrator), I am now known to have an “attitude”. Had I known this would be the outcome of supporting my union; I most certainly would NOT have even thought about waiting until after the 24th to turn in my tests. And, I will have a very hard time trusting information from CEA again.

Oh!!!! and guess what? We had report cards to do this week on top of everything. Figuring up my grades for everything that i taught and graded before break becasue I sure didn’t teach or grade anything once we came back from break.

The district needs to get back on track and extend our school days so there is adequate time to get everything taught in a school day, week, quarter, and year!!!! Along with this teachers need to have a Records day added so that we can complete our report cards on the clock and not at 11:00pm at night or on the weekends at home. The district also needs to pick one assessment tool to use with the students or spread them out so that all subjects arent tested at the same time.

If the district wants some good publicity they need to get things rolling so that they have the teachers backing them when it comes time for getting the next levy passed.

Well correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t the “grand-daddy” of all tests the OGT? How much pressure is that? In my building every teaching area, art, business, foreign language (the step-children) of the district are being affected by this testing madness. Daily, all teachers are expected to take time from their regular curriculum and focus on an OGT area.

High school teachers are so entrenched in testing, scoring, scanning and bubbling that its actually frightening. My concern is that CEA says they do not support the scanning of these tests. Yet, many buildings have no designated individual in charge of scanning.

Obviously, the task be-falls the classroom teacher. Who else scans? What happens if some of this work is never scanned? Is there a punishment for not scanning? I realize a grievance was filed and it is in arbitration but come on folks, that was in October. We have since gone through 2 grading periods. By the time an answer arrives the year could quite possibly be over. As far as I am concerned, the longer teachers assume these clerical, time consuming tasks the more work they get out of us and the more ingrained we are to keep performing these jobs. Stand up and blog your frustrations!!!

Quarterly Assessments: 19; OAT practice tests (district and principal mandated: 27; 4th grade writing simulation: 1; 3rd grade Reading OAT test: 1 = 48

Also, my building administrator asked us to have all of our reading practice tests graded and returned today, tomorrow at the latest. Great- I didn’t want to spend time with my family tonight anyway.

On top of everything listed above the parents are calling in droves because the kids haven’t had homework and the kids are actually asking for homework. Can’t seem to please anybody.
You give tests before the quarter is over or you get interrupted be D.A.R.E. for two weeks with no notice; resulting in the kids can’t answer any questions abour the last two weeks of the quarter-Ancient Greece. All seventh grade social studies teachers were in the same spot in our building. The District doesn’t care about that part; just the stats, just the stats. You mean we don’t teach human beings any more?????