This is a report to MASA Superintendents and Curriculum Leaders on MASA's testimony to the Minnesota Senate regarding the 11th Math GRAD Test. Message from Charlie Kyte, MASA Executive Director.
The audio portion of this podcast is 8 and half minutes long.
December 1, 2008
Senate Education Committee
Minnesota State Capitol
St. Paul, Minnesota
Senate Education Committee members:
NCLB IS PRESENTLY QUITE PUNITIVE AT BOTH THE NATIONAL AND MINNESOTA STATE LEVELS:
1. NCLB will soon be either repealed or re-authorized. Federal policy makers recognize that the punitive elements of NCLB need to be re-directed into a more positive and helpful approach.
2. Among the states, Minnesota, has utilized a set of rules that are more punishing of schools than most other states in the country. In spite of Minnesota’s positive track record in education, Minnesota’s schools have seen record levels of schools given punitive marks.
3. Skilled educators, parents and policy makers know that more progress can usually be made with positive inducements than with negative consequences
MATH COMPETENCY FOR MINNESOTA STUDENTS MUST BE INCREASED:
1. Minnesota’s students must do better in math if Minnesota is to attain the proficiency required to provide well educated citizens and to participate in a world competitive economy.
2. Minnesota needs three (3) elements to be present to increase math competency:
a. Students, parents and citizens willing to demand and attain high proficiency.
b. Teachers and schools prepared to deliver world class results in math.
c. Progressive state policies that will help attain success.
THE CURRENT PLAN TO REQUIRE PASSAGE OF THE MATH GRAD TEST AS A REQUIREMENT FOR GRADUATION IS PUNITIVE TO STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS, AND WILL HAVE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES:
1. Even setting the cut score on the Math GRAD Test at a partial proficiency level will result in about 75% of students passing the test, even after hasty re-mediation and re-testing.
2. If 25% of students attaining grade 12 do not pass the Math GRAD Test, this will mean 4000-5000 students that will be denied graduation for this reason alone. These students will suffer from lost opportunities to enter colleges, the military and other types of vocational training.
3. If some type of a waiver, or appeals, process is allowed for students not passing the test, there will be the following effects:
a. An appeal/waiver process will place a significant burden on HS Principals and School Boards to determine which students can graduate, or not graduate, via the appeals/waiver process.
b. Students, and their parents, denied diplomas, may use litigation to change these decisions.
c. Some schools would grant waivers to all students, making a mockery of the whole process and negating the movement toward higher proficiency.
WE SUGGEST AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION:
1. Let’s move away from the punitive approach now being used so prevalently.
2. Consider rewarding students and schools for doing well!
** Provide a math endorsement for all students passing the Math GRAD test. This endorsement would be placed on both a students transcript and on their diploma.
** Consider a second, higher endorsement level that indicates proficiency on the full 11th grade math test. This endorsement could also indicate ‘college’ readiness.
** Consider additional inducements to encourage students to strive to show math proficiency via these tests.
** Recognize schools that have high percentages of students attaining math proficiency.
** With this approach no time delay would be necessary for implementation and could be in effect for 2010 graduates.
** The Math GRAD cut score could be set at a more reasonable level rather than undesirably low.
THIS SOLUTION COULD BE WIDELY SUPPORTED BY EDUCATORS:
1. MASA represents all of the school superintendents as well as many curriculum leaders, special education directors and central office administrators. They would be very supportive.
Respectfully submitted, and representing the members of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA),
Dr. Charles Kyte, Executive Director
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