Seems like every day another report indicates the
US is falling farther and farther behind in terms of our education
system’s end product. Yes, we probably include more students in
our assessment pool than other countries and so our composite achievement
data is likely skewed. Reasons to not pay heed to the results,
according to national justification of results, are: different
statewide curriculum frameworks, giving assessments at different
times of year, and using different testing formats. Oh yes, and
our median ages used don’t make sense. And the conclusions are
also suspect because we’ve excluded certain students. Plenty of
reasons to disregard the data.
Still, how much should we rejoice that at the 8th-grade level
we show almost no improvement in math -- a grade level closely
related to high school entry? And how about reading? The national
average scores of 8th-grade students in reading = 3% of students
advanced and 26% proficient (proficient is defined as “solid academic
performance and demonstrated competence”). So the grand total of
8th graders proficient or advanced in reading is 29%. That’s 71%
who are not proficient …in reading! Just how are we going to keep
pace in science and engineering when 2/3 of our 8th'grade students
don’t even score at a proficient level in …reading!
If there is good news, it’s that New Hampshire is one of the leading
states in reading nationwide. Massachusetts leads the country with
45% proficient and advanced 8th graders in reading; Maine and New
Hampshire are tied with 38% of students proficient and advanced;
and North Dakota, Minnesota, and Vermont come in 3rd place with
37% of their 8th-grade students performing at proficient and advanced
levels in reading.
Now the question is: is there any believable reason that 71% of
American students cannot learn to read at a proficient level? Or
50%? Or 60%? Where are we going exactly with our multibillion education
industry when over half the students in this country cannot test
as proficient readers in grade 8?
What do you have to say about this?
"IMHO, one of the more significant
reasons why we don't have a higher percentage of good readers
is because we completely ignore
the 20% who are dyslexic or have other reading problems that could
easily be overcome IF we decided that these students were important
enough to direct our resources to. How can we let so many students
enter high school who are illiterate? How can we graduate so many
students who read at an elementary level -- without accepting responsibility
for it?
BTW, I also think it is irresponsible whenever
educators mention the testing done in other countries as being
equitable to what
we do in the US? It's apples and oranges, people!! In most other
countries they do not allow students to "sit for an exam" whose
academic credentials they deem to be below standard. In the US,
we test everyone and count almost every single one."
Tami, 10/25/05
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