Source:
Dear Dr. Lane,
Pursuant to Pennsylvania Code
Title 22 Chapter 4, section 4.4 (d)(5) I am hereby exercising my right as a
parent to have my child excused from any State standardized testing because of
religious and philosophical beliefs.
During the time when other students are taking
State standardized PSSA tests (including make-ups), I would like my child,
Ayden Harbin, to be provided with real learning opportunities at his school
during test time (I have my clearances and would be willing to volunteer for
this at Liberty). Or, if you would prefer, I could keep Ayden at home.
Dr. Lane, I am not required by law to explain
my reasons for opting out. But this decision, to participate in civil
disobedience, comes after much research and reflection so I will explain my
thoughts in detail. I’ve chosen to copy the members of the Board of Directors
and my Principal at Liberty to inform them of my decision. (In addition, my
principal was directed by her superiors to tell parents that a copy must also
be sent to Lisa Augustin and Tina Still, employees in the PPS Assessment
Department. I have copied them here even though Chapter 4.4 clearly states that
parents must send a written request to the Superintendent only. Please instruct
your staff to correct this mistake.)
My philosophy about education is based on the
simple belief in social justice and human rights. I believe every child has the
right to an education filled with rich learning experiences that encourage
creativity, critical thinking, taking risks, making mistakes and having
independent thought. High-stakes standardized testing like the PSSA exam is not
consistent with these beliefs and consequently result in the following:
The PSSA has high-stakes for students and
schools. Pittsburgh Public Schools has made and will continue to make decisions
to close schools based on the results of this test. Therefore, the stakes are
the highest for schools that already suffer from the inequities in our schools;
high teacher and principal turnover, concentrations of students living in
poverty, inadequate resources and institutionalized racism.
The PSSA has high-stakes for teachers, and
soon, principals. Test-based teacher and principal evaluation systems are
gaining popularity as evidenced by current state legislation. (Act 82 of 2012)
Unfortunately, there is no research available to prove these evaluation systems
work to improve student learning. There is evidence though that the reliance on
high-stakes testing, for the purpose of evaluating teachers, has caused a
narrowing of the curriculum, teaching to the test and an increase in cheating.
Additionally, testing companies have admitted that these tests were not
developed for the purpose of evaluation and should not be used in that way.
High-stakes tests are not a diagnostic
assessment of student learning. I am not against all assessments. I do
understand that teachers need ways to assess if students understand what has
been taught. The PSSA exam is not this kind of assessment. In fact, results
from the PSSA exam are not available to teachers until the next school year.
Therefore, high-stakes standardized tests have no value to the teacher to
assess student learning.
High-stakes tests cause student fear, anxiety
and loss of confidence. In my home, we place a value on learning and the love
of learning. We encourage our kids to learn from making mistakes. You can
understand why I would be upset when my son in 2nd grade adamantly refused to
answer a homework question (with 2 possible answers) because he was afraid he
would get the wrong answer.
I was also upset to learn from a science
teacher that her students, when asked to write a hypothesis, hesitated to write
it until they knew it would be ‘correct’. Even though she explains to them that
famous scientists have made great discoveries precisely because their
hypothesis was ‘wrong’.
Recently, a student at Pittsburgh, Obama wrote
in the school newspaper about high-stakes testing, “ These standardized tests
have become increasingly stressful for the teachers and students. There is too
much at stake on one test that you take once a year. It has gotten to the point
where the tests are a disruption to learning”.
High-stakes tests cause a narrowing of the
curriculum and undermine the quality of instruction. Classes and subjects that
are not tested have been increasingly eliminated in PPS. At Liberty (a Spanish
magnet) students previously had Spanish every day. No more. The time allocated
for Spanish has been replaced by more ELA and Math because Spanish is not
tested.
Liberty is fortunate though, we still have a
full time art and music teacher. Some schools do not, because they have even
more ELA and Math. Schools that perform poorly on the PSSA have art and music
instruction once every six days and schools that perform better on the PSSA
have full-time art and music instruction.
Children identified as ‘low performers’ on the
high-stakes PSSA are given more frequent assessments and are subjected to drill
and kill methods of instruction. Simply for the purpose of enabling them to
achieve higher standardized test scores. This is not quality instruction nor is
it learning.
At a community meeting at UPREP Milliones, I
learned that a decision was recently made to ensure that students can pass the
Keystone Algebra 1 Exam (a high-stakes test). Students at UPREP will have 2
years worth of instruction in Algebra 1. But, as a result, Algebra 2 (with no
high-stakes test attached to it) will be taught as a double block in one
semester. Cramming a years worth of curriculum into one semester is not a best
practice for teaching and learning.
High-stakes tests cause poor school climates.
The use of high-stakes testing has turned our schools into test prep centers.
This increases barriers to real learning and student engagement.
Students themselves, like the Obama student I
quoted above, report high levels of stress and anxiety associated with their
performance on high-stakes testing.
The fear that some students or subgroups will
bring down test scores contributes to a hostile and stressful school climate.
This creates animosity between racial and economic groups. Students with
disabilities are often vilified because they disproportionately score lower on
high-stakes tests.
Since the beginning of No Child Left Behind
(NCLB) and the focus on results of high-stakes tests, suspensions rates and
expulsions have increased and graduation rates have decreased. Colleges and
Universities have reported that students are less prepared for the challenges
of higher education (academic and non-academic).
High-stakes tests may not accurately measure
learning and achievement. Why do certain subgroups disproportionately score
lower on these tests? Is it possible that the PSSA has a racial, economic and
ability bias build in that is beneficial to certain subgroups of students?
Racial, economic and ability gaps in testing
outcomes exist but I refuse to call it an ‘achievement gap’. Our students are
achieving every day—we just don’t have a system in place to measure and
celebrate these learning achievements. Parents are told that this is the
EASIEST way to measure learning, not the BEST way.
The overuse and misuse of high-stakes testing
has the unintended consequence of INCREASING INEQUITY and violating all
childrens’ civil rights to a free and appropriate education. Inequity in
Pittsburgh Public Schools has increased in the following ways:
▪ increase
in student suspensions (students being pushed-out of learning)
▪ high
turn-over of teachers and principals in low performing schools (as measured by
the test results)
▪ punitively
closing schools in communities of color and low income
▪ teaching
to the test for specific students
▪ elimination
of rich curriculum for specific students
Do you know how much of our limited resources
and precious time is spent on high-stakes testing in our District? A recent
Bill has been introduced in the Oregon Legislative Assembly (HB 2664) related
to standardized tests calling for an evaluation of the use of standardized
tests in the public schools. The evaluation will include the fiscal,
administrative and educational impacts of these tests with respect to the
impact on instructional time, curricula, professional flexibility, administrative
time and focus, and budgets.
My vision for excellent Pittsburgh Public
Schools includes real equity; schools in all of our neighborhoods, small class
sizes, support for whole child, rich, engaging and culturally-responsive
curriculums, professionally trained, developed and experienced teachers, time
for teachers to collaborate, and resources available to support the needs of
students and teachers.
I will continue to advocate for educational
policies and programs in Pittsburgh Public Schools that reflect my religious
and philosophical beliefs based on equitable education for all children.
Test-score driven educational policies, including high-stakes testing, have no
place in my vision for a high quality education.
Sincerely,
Pamela Harbin
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