by AFT President Sandra Feldman
June 2001

Good tests,
done well,
will benefit
students.

Across the country, newspapers report that parents are worried about their children being over-tested, and teachers are concerned about the loss of their ability to teach anything but what is on a test. And we’re told students are more and more fearful about passing these tests.

While these worries are justified, well-made tests are essential to determining how well children are learning. We can’t have high standards unless we have a way to measure whether we’re meeting those standards.

Teachers have always given tests, and kids have always worried about them. What is different today is that almost every state has adopted a standards-based approach to education. All children are expected to meet higher standards - and that is good.

Linking tests to curricula

But few states have tests based on rich curricula linked to high standards, and even fewer have provided the supports teachers and students need to meet the higher standards - and that’s bad.

In some schools, parents worry that their children are subjected to high-stakes tests in classes that are too big, and in which teachers are overworked and under-prepared. In others, they worry that rich curricula are being eliminated and too much time is spent preparing for and taking tests.

What is more, tests are misused when they are the sole determinant of promotion; they’re misleading if passing scores are arbitrarily set, and they’re unfair if they’re not closely tied to curricula. And even if those problems are dealt with, testing companies can make mistakes, as a recent report in the New York Times documented.

Now there is concern about a new Congressional proposal that would require states to test every child every year in grades 3-8 – a mandate that might push testing companies beyond their limits and cut short efforts to develop high quality assessments linked to state standards.

If Congress mandates these tests, it’s important that they not simply be layered on top of others already in place, and that their high cost not result in states buying dumbed-down commercial tests. Research shows the development and administration of these new tests would cost states at least $2.6 billion; if Congress requires them, it should also require that they be of high quality – and it should pay for that quality.

Yet none of these issues should prompt us to give up on testing. So, here are five commonsense suggestions to ensure an educationally sound testing policy:

1. Tests should not be used to determine "winners" or "losers." A good test should benefit students by showing them and their teachers and parents where more work is needed. To do that, assessments have to be based on high academic standards and corresponding curricula. For that to happen, teachers, not just testing employees or state officials, must be involved in developing and reviewing test items.

2. Do not over-test. It takes time away from teaching and learning. Children are given tests for different reasons at different times. To avoid over-testing, we need to coordinate these efforts and avoid duplication.

3. Testing must be fair. It should comply with professional standards for fair testing and appropriate use. Progress should be reported for all students by grade level, race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status so extra help can be provided where it is needed. Students with disabilities or limited English proficiency should have appropriate accommodations.

4. No child’s future should depend on a single test. Other evidence needs to be included in such decisions. Test results should identify students who need help -- and they should get that help before high-stakes consequences are attached to tests.

5. Tests should measure what is learned. They should be based on the curriculum that is taught, but they should not be the curriculum. No school should feel pressed to eliminate valuable art or music classes to allow more time for test preparations. Nor should a single high-stakes test determine what gets taught in every subject.

A measure, not a cure

Tests are vital tools for measuring student progress and for identifying where students’ – and schools’ -- achievement can be improved. But a test is a thermometer, not a treatment. More and more testing is not a "cure" for poor student achievement. That can only be solved through a comprehensive program of lower class size, highly qualified teachers, appropriate instructional materials and adequate school facilities.

Good tests, used properly, will help us understand how children are doing, help direct resources to those in need, and reassure parents that their children are getting a broad and rigorous education.