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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 23, 2017 02:12 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Kristin Hill |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Creation of a Student Centered Assessment System that Empowers Teachers and Increases Instruction Time |
| One of the greatest challenges facing our education system today is reforming our antiquated approach to assessing educational progress and academic growth. The Iowa model, in use today, has been the accepted method for student assessment for over four decades. However, this approach fails to meet the needs of our students today. In order to meet the requirements for the standardized tests under the Iowa model, schools across the Commonwealth often devote weeks of classroom instruction to prepare for the test. The impact of “teaching the test” is well documented, as teaching to the standardized test fails to help students better understand the material. Instead of reviewing the subject in greater detail or going over material slowly for students who are struggling, teachers must focus their curriculum around the standardized tests. The reason for this is simple: schools are judged on their performance – in large part, on standardized tests. Effectively, these tests take precedence over the needs of the student, as classroom instruction focuses on teaching a test rather than mastery of a subject. Not only do standardized tests take away from necessary instruction on a given subject, but the results fail to inform teachers of student performance or growth within a school year. The delay of notification hurts teachers because it fails to provide them enough time to make any necessary adjustments to help students the following year. In order to provide students with more instruction time in the classroom and provide teachers with quick results on student performance and academic growth, we plan to introduce legislation to move education forward. This legislation will direct the Department of Education to work with the State Board of Education to establish a pilot program utilizing new approaches to testing and technology to improve education. In particular, the program will allow school districts to use adaptive testing, which will track student performance and measure academic growth over the school year. Additionally, these tests will provide teachers with assessment results faster than the current standardized test. School districts which are currently using adaptive testing have the results available within 24 hours. For school districts in the pilot program, these adaptive tests will replace standardized tests for grades 1-8. We believe this resource empowers teachers and will allow them to adjust their curriculum or teaching based upon the performance and academic growth of their students. Please join us and co-sponsor this legislation to establish a pilot program which will create a student centered assessment system that empowers teachers and increases instruction time. If you have any questions, please contact Jordan Grant by email at Jgrant@pahousegop.com or by phone at 717-767-3947. |
Memo Updated: January 23, 2017 02:13 PM