“Achievement tests may well be valuable indicators of general school achievement under conditions of normal teaching aimed at general competence. But when test scores become the goal of the teaching process, they both lose their value as indicators of educational status and distort the educational process in undesirable ways.” Psychologist Donald Campbell provided this thought-provoking and alarming statement some time ago regarding standardized testing.
Too often we hear about schools, and in turn students and teachers, 'cramming' for the spring standardized testing season. It's as if the testing takes precedence over all else. Truth be told; school districts, schools, administrators, teachers and students are all held hostage in my view.
And just what happens if a school, teachers and students - so to speak - don't measure up? Well, we'll take that up tomorrow but it's fair to say that little good comes of it.
Dick
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