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| The Global Freedom Institute |
| American Secondary Education: How do we evalute it? (page 2) The Solution The means of evaluating the educational system must be multifaceted. If it isn�t, it leads to problems of manipulation. For example, if you leave it up to states to control via graduation rates or a state test for national funding, then states can find ways to manipulate the system in order to get the funding. For example, a district could let the student �slide by� in the name of the greater picture of more funding. If one test is used, a state could teach the test for improved results. If you use tests only, not only could teachers teach the test, it would also hurt those who are �bad test takers� or help those who happen to be �good test takers.� Either way, it is not a measurement of education as much as it is a measurement of teaching a test or who takes tests well. If grade point average is used, then it can be skewed by teachers who raise grades to get the money. If options like vouchers are the solution or wanted by the parents and teachers in the community, then they could tank a national test or be unfairly harsh to skew the results down. And what if one test is biased or someone has a bad day while taking it? Should there really only be one test? The solution must take all of these factors into account so that no one factor could skew the result. If only one factor is used, it is easier to manipulate than multiple factors. Even college entrance boards examine multiple factors, rather than just an SAT/ACT score. The solution should be to look at a formula that incorporates grade point average, graduation rates, national test scores and SAT/ACT scores. By looking at these factors, one would get a more holistic view of the success or failure of the education process in secondary education. Grade point average would be an indicator of the level of success of the student in a few areas. It may indicate the mastery, or lack thereof, of information. It also may indicate the work ethic of the student or lack thereof. It would be offset by the two tests so teachers could not skew the entire result of evaluation based on the grades they give. Graduation rates would show the success or failure of a school to actually graduate the students they have. The rates should be for a class from beginning to end, so that it also deals with drop out rates and the district�s methods of solving the problem of drop-outs. For example, if a freshman class enters with 100 students and graduates 80 of them, the total percent of graduates would be 80%. This forces districts and schools to not just kick out students, but rather to deal with the problems of their students. This graduation rate should also be evaluated on graduating students on time. If a student is held back and graduates a four year secondary school in five years, this should count against the graduation rate for not dealing with the student in a constructive manner as to graduate the student on time. National test score percents should be counted because they are designed to evaluate what a student has learned. It provides a standardized test that can be evaluated and compared to other states, districts and schools nationally. It also gives the federal government a method of controlling the evaluation process with the questions on the test. While we don�t necessarily support federal government involvement in education, it is currently a reality that must be dealt with. If the federal government is to be involved in education funding, it should have input in the method of evaluation so that states cannot manipulate the tests. SAT/ACT have both proven to be predictors of college success to a degree. This will help evaluate whether or not a district or school has done their job of preparing students for college. It allows for organizations that have proven success in giving valid exams to impact the process by using their expertise to help evaluate the system. Some have argued that tests are racially, culturally or regionally biased. They use examples of terminology. For example, a soft drink in some parts of the country is called a �pop�, others a �soda� and others a �coke�, and there may be even more terms for it. Other examples deal with experiences. For example, a question that uses an example of a forest or a lake or a wilderness may be foreign to an inner city student to imagine because they have never experienced any of those. While those criticisms are valid to an extent, there should be a method of evaluation that compares schools and districts in different parts of the country fairly. National tests such as the SAT/ACT and a national test should be used in spite of those flaws. At least until something better is developed and proven more reliable for achieving the same goals. 1 2 3 |
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