Using MCAS as a Tool to Improve our Schools
MCAS: An Opportunity - Not a Threat
Love it or hate it, standardized assessment that allows for objective measurement is not going away. Love it or hate it, MCAS in Massachusetts is not going away. Given that background, it behooves all of us to understand the details beneath the surface before making a judgment. In fact, President Obama's education platform specifically addresses this topic:
"...improve the assessments used to track student progress. They will work to create assessment models that provide educators and students with timely feedback about how to improve student learning, that measure readiness for college and success in an information-age workplace; and that indicate whether individual students are making progress toward reaching high standards." "These assessments will provide immediate feedback so that teachers can begin improving student learning right away."
The DOE web site has comprehensive material available about the test and the process for the continued development and analysis of the questions and results and evolution of the test itself. From my own investigations and observations, I think the MCAS is an example of a well thought out and well run assessment which could be held up as a model by the Obama administration. The school systems, schools and individual teachers are provided with a wealth of detailed data with which they can fine tune their curricula and teaching methodologies. This can be a very positive experience for both educators and students if approached properly. There are multiple examples of just that happening within NPS led by enthusiastic teachers and supported by enlightened principals.
The popular argument is that focusing the school system to produce better results on a specific test does not actually provide a better education and may in fact be a detriment to education. I reject that argument as simplistic and a cop-out. The MCAS test covers basic skills and knowledge that all of our students should know. There is no reason that curricula should be restricted to only what is present in the State frameworks and/or covered by MCAS testing, but there is every reason that what is curricula should cover at least what is in the State frameworks.
In fact I would expect any progressive, high performing school should achieve good results on the MCAS without making any special preparation for the test and certainly without “teaching to the test”. If specific gaps in student knowledge or capability are uncovered by the analysis of the MCAS results, the school should be able to easily tweak the curricula to close the gaps and move on.
We just can’t have it both ways – if the Newton Schools are of the highest caliber and routinely teaching beyond the basics covered by MCAS, then there should be no fear of the test or of the results. Clearly our aspirations are to achieve this, whether we are there or not is another debate.
What bothers me most is when I hear people argue that objective assessment is irrelevant, distracting or detracting from the NPS educational mission. This is simply counterproductive. The MCAS is a tool in our toolbox to monitor our performance. To deny the results or to fail to take advantage of the knowledge the test results provide about the outcomes of our educational process is illogical. MCAS is a means, not an end; an opportunity, not a threat. We should treat it as such and use it to its full potential to help us achieve our full potential.