Our Executive Administrator, Rick Longhurst, and Education Coordinator, Cathy Romano, ask: Education Reform: What Next? in this editorial article below.
Education
Reform: What Now?
Last
week, eight years after the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) also
known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) expired, Every Student Succeeds Act,
(ESSA) the single greatest change in National Education Policy in many years
was signed into law. A thousand pages of
legislation boil down to two simple principles: student testing remains but
states get to set standards and determine how they use those standards to
evaluate schools and educators.
Already,
two camps are emerging.
- The first says, we have had enough of reform and testing. We want to be done with Common Core and go back to the way things used to be.
- The second says, we should Pause, reflect on what works, change what does not; then move forward. NYS PTA falls into the latter.
What
do parents and the education community really want for our students from the
education system? It is not complicated. We ask:
- What do we want our children to know and be able to do? How do we know when those goals have been met?
- What information do schools need to keep education reform moving in the right direction
- What impact do educators make in our children’s learning and how do we know it?
What do we want our
children to know and be able to do?- Standards, Curriculum and Instruction
Research
demonstrates that where there are high expectations and support for those
expectations by educators and parents, children achieve! NYS PTA has long supported the higher
aspirations for all students expressed in the Common Core Standards, but
understand that a short time frame, limited resources, and an overemphasis on
immediate results have caused tremendous stress over the past five years. As with any change, adjustments are necessary
to get us where we need to be. This
takes time.
The
NYS Education Department continues to seek feedback from communities and
educators on standards and testing that will lead to necessary adjustments. We
ask that they be allowed to do their job as professionals with minimal
interference from our legislators in that process.
Researchers
also point out that 21st century success depends on ability to
communicate, collaborate, think critically and create. While the global economy
asks more of workers, recent events reinforce the idea that our everyday life
is global. This fundamental shift requires new curriculum, challenging
assessments and fundamental changes in instructional practice. The transition
is complex and requires extensive professional development, integration across
all subject areas, and the full engagement of families and communities. Schools must spend this time wisely to
improve local practice and state resources must support each aspect of the
transition.
How do we know when
our children meet those goals? What information do school systems need to keep
education reform moving in the right direction? - Assessments
Standardized testing continues under
ESSA. This is to ensure that we are not
overlooking or under expecting performance of some students or
communities. The NYS Education
Department promises streamlined testing and adaptive assessments that today’s
technology makes possible. We need an immediate and substantial investment to
develop these assessment tools, improve instruction and promote learning, not
punish educators or students.
Assessments
serve two functions. They tell us what students have learned and help to
identify opportunities to improve the learning process. We call upon those who
will design or select tests to remember that we are working with children.
- Tests must be shorter,
- Content must be interesting, and
- Questions must reflect the both the substance and nature of instruction while being relevant to how and where students live.
Educators must be assured that scoring
methods, cut scores and scales are reliable and provide an accurate view of
student performance. We must also provide parents and communities with clear,
trustworthy data on how individuals, groups of students, and schools compare
across the state.
With student mobility, parents and families
must have quality information to make the best possible choices for their
children and communities. Families need comparative information on school
performance when selecting where their child will learn. The education department and the legislators
must support families and communities as full partners in this effort.
Finally, assessment of student performance
must be the springboard for school improvement. ESSA enables schools to use
multiple measures of effectiveness, including attendance, graduation rates and
school climate as part of a whole school review. Communities whose schools are
underperforming need good comparative benchmarks when setting goals for
improvement. NYS PTA encourages all to participate in the assessment process
and improvement directed discussions as the system changes.
How do we know that
Educators make a difference? - Educator Impact -
When
asked about schooling, everyone can point to an educator who made the
difference, positively or negatively. But defining what makes a great educator
remains a challenge. We risk devaluing the importance of good teachers and
instructional practice, thereby risking an entire profession if we avoid
examining APPR. In 2011, the Board of
Regents, with parent and educator input, adopted teaching standards. Great
teachers must:
- know their students,
- know their subject matter,
- successfully employ research-based instructional practices,
- establish a classroom climate that is conducive to effective learning,
- select meaningful assessments and use results to improve the learning experience,
- collaborate with families, communities and each other, and
- take responsibility for professional improvement.
We
ask legislators to empower school boards, educators and parents to redesign an
APPR evaluation system that is accurate, fair, and transparent, resulting in
improved instructional practice and
information that provides families and
communities with the confidence that they are
placing children in the care of quality educators.
The
Every Student Succeeds Act gives New York a real opportunity to move forward on
our own terms. Let us not waste it. It
is essential that we use this opportunity not to retreat from reform but to
reflect on what is required to move it forward.
NYS PTA asks Governor Cuomo, the
legislature, the Regents and SED not to simply implement a pause in linking
student performance to grading educators, but to make a joint and determined
effort to use that time to collaboratively build a future that will prepare
every child for the success we aspire for all children regardless of zip code
or income.
