Voices in the Feminine - Digital Delights

Although every mom wants her child to be well prepared for college and career, parents are skeptical that test-based reforms will accomplish that goal.  Elementary and middle school principals report that their parents are becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the additional time spent on the measurement of learning, rather than on learning itself.  Test prep is crowding out instruction, even as time spent on testing balloons.

Ten years ago, New York students in Grades 4, 5 (social studies only) and 8 were tested.  It was not until 2006 that state testing was added in Grades 3, 6 and 7. Three years ago,Grade 3 testing time was 160 minutes. 

This year, Grade 3 testing time was 410 minutes.  These numbers do not include all of the additional testing for SLOs and other achievement tests that teachers must give due to APPR, the new mandated teacher evaluation system. Yet remarkably, Commissioner King recently told the Albany Times Union editorial board that students spend the same amount of time taking tests this year as they have for the last decade, a statement which is clearly not accurate.  That statement also remains unchallenged by the press.