Kutztown School District Superintendent Katherine Metrick presented a trophy the district received for their efforts in the Kutztown Strong efforts.
However, the bulk of the board’s meeting was spent discussing the impact of state assessments on student learning.
An unusual reversal of roles took place at the Kutztown Area School District Board’s meeting on Nov. 17.
Pennsylvania’s standardized testing, which many districts view as a yardstick to measure the success of the educational process, was given an assessment of its own in a discussion that included input not just from the school board, but also from an engaged audience of parents.
Concerns regarding state assessments were first broached at the last Student Achievement meeting on Nov. 10. Board member Al Darion introduced the topic at the larger board meeting in the belief that it merited a full board discussion.
“Evaluation is an essential part of education. It both motivates and informs of what needs to be done,” Darion said. “But making that the centerpiece of what we do… that still troubles me.”
The major concerns discussed at the meeting included a general over-emphasis on testing as the sole measurement of educational success, the devaluation of comprehension in favor of high test scores, excessive time and effort spent solely on prepping for the tests, and the possible negative impact testing has on both students and teachers.
“A lot of people are frustrated with the level of testing that takes place,” Metrick said. “That ‘s not unique to Kutztown.”
State assessments are important for school districts because low test scores can negatively affect state grants. For example, the district’s flexibility with the Ready to Learn block grant is affected by its district test scores, according to Metrick. If the scores do not meet the requirements, the district has less flexibility on how they can spend the grant money. Instead, they are locked into spending it in designated areas.
Board members and parents alike expressed their concern with the stress placed on teachers and students. Teachers’ evaluations are partially based on their students’ assessment scores. Students’ scores account for anywhere from 15 to 35 percent of a teacher’s evaluation.
Board member Christine Ryan spoke about how it is a “frustrating time to be a teacher,” because teaching to the test is not the only way for students to learn. However, since it is currently considered the main measure of teaching success, teachers must be cognizant of its effect on their jobs. This in turn, can affect the quality of student learning.
Steven Schnell, a professor at Kutztown University and father of two school-age children, believes that the time spent preparing students to take state assessments displaces valuable time for true learning. In his opinion, over-emphasizing state testing removes the importance of stimulating creative and critical thinking.
“If you have to train someone to take a test, that’s no longer a valid measurement [of success],” Schnell said.
Furthermore, the stress on teachers is not always easily disguised. According to Schnell, too much stress can create a negative learning environment, which he has witnessed in his own children.
“They’re picking up on the stress,” Schnell said. “I’m disturbed by what I see.”
According to Darion, Kutztown Middle School spent 12 days on state assessments. During those 12 days, everything from posters to books had to be covered up due to the state’s policy during testing.
“It was extraordinarily disruptive to the learning environment,” said Erin Kraal, a resident of Kutztown with two school-age children.
According to Metrick, the only way to get students out of testing is to cite religious reasons. The issue facing the board is twofold. If they lose student participation because parents are increasingly against the testing, it can hurt the district’s School Performance Profile score. At the same time, low test scores can impact the district’s SPP as well.
No action was taken on the discussion item, but the discussion did leave follow-up questions to be answered. At its essence, the board must decide how the Kutztown Area School District wants to assess its teachers and students, and how much emphasis is put on state assessments.
The board resolved to compile data on the amount of unique time spent preparing for the state assessments. That information will be available at the next Student Achievement meeting on Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. in the High School library.