THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 27, 1995 TAG: 9510270017
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A22 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Opinion
SOURCE: By ROY D. NICHOLS JR.
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
Like it or not, the general public often judges the success of a school district by its students' scores on standardized tests. While test scores are an indicator of student achievement, test-makers themselves agree that standardized tests are just one of many indicators that might be used to evaluate a school district and its programs. The number of students earning college credit while still in high school or the number entering post-secondary programs after graduation might also be used. Special programs such as the Strolling Silver Strings and NORSTAR (a project in which our students work with NASA) are also indicators of effectiveness.
Much as we might like for the public to judge us on all that we do for students, we understand that test scores will continue to be important. Therefore, we are redoubling our efforts to improve our students' scores on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) and the Virginia Literacy Passport Tests (LPT). Relying on input from parents, School Board members and others, we have developed a plan focusing on five broad areas that should yield positive results:
Curriculum: To ensure that our students are taught the objectives covered on both the ITBS and the LPT, as well as other important objectives, we have audited our elementary-school curriculum. Our next step is to use the audit reports to reduce needless duplication of objectives, to reposition objectives where appropriate and to strengthen the curriculum, guaranteeing academic rigor for all students at all grade levels.
Instructional practices: In classrooms, we are asking teachers to assess their teaching practices to ensure that students are actively engaged in learning and that they develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. In the Information Age in which we live, rote memorization and comprehending at the literal level only will not be sufficient. Students must be able to comprehend a variety of reading materials, to write for various purposes and to draw logical conclusions. Such skills are developed when students receive quality instruction and when they are provided frequent opportunities to practice authentic tasks.
Staff development: I have long believed that we educators place too little emphasis on professional development, which is crucial to our success. For that reason, we increased the professional-development requirements for all personnel last year. This year, we are bringing focus to that training by requiring that all teachers and administrators receive a minimum number of hours of instruction in the teaching of reading. Other staff-development options will include analyzing and interpreting data, using technology to improve instruction and using an interdisciplinary approach. Since schools are being asked to group students homogeneously for instruction in mathematics and communication skills in grades three and beyond, extensive staff development and reallocation of resources will be needed so that grouping becomes a positive, not a negative, force in the education of all our students.
Testing: Schools will analyze their test results and develop strategies to address weaknesses. They will develop testing schedules that take into account group size, number of days allocated for testing, optimum time for testing and alternative busing schedules on test days. Counselors and others will instruct students in general test-taking strategies; they will also work to reduce the apathy of some students and the test anxiety of others. All students, as well as teachers and administrators, will become familiar with the format of both the ITBS and the LPT. Students who fail any portion of the Literacy Predictor or Literacy Passport Test will be required to attend summer school in order to be promoted.
Monitoring: We will be even more vigilant in monitoring our instructional program. We are asking principals and teachers to protect instructional time by reducing interruptions no matter how worthy an outside request might be. The office of School Governance will monitor the implementation of each school's plan to improve student performance, and central-office personnel will keep a high profile in the schools, observing and providing feedback and assistance to principals and their staff.
We believe we can improve our students' academic achievement and that those gains will be reflected in higher standardized scores. We are not content to be among the highest-scoring urban school districts in the nation. We want to be among the highest-scoring school districts, period. By focusing our attention on curriculum, instructional practices, staff development and monitoring, as well as testing issues, we expect to achieve that goal. MEMO: Dr. Nichols is superintendent of Norfolk Public Schools.
by CNB