Our Students Understand THE TEST More Than We Realize

Last week, I received the results of my middle school-aged daughter's state assessments — and it validated what I have theorized for years.

My daughter was partially proficient in math and minimally proficient in English language arts according to the AZMERIT, the state summative assessment used by the Arizona Department of Education to measure and monitor not only student achievement but also overall school performance.

The irony and conflict with my daughter's results is she is in Honors English and receives A's in English language arts. She is not thrilled about reading, but she does well. She is an excellent writer. However, according to the state assessments, she is minimally proficient in not only a class but also an area in which she is extremely strong and skilled.

I took my daughter out to In-and-Out for lunch to have a serious conversation. I asked her to be straight with me about what happened with the state assessments. I assured her I would not be upset, but I wanted to understand what happened because her results did not reflect her capability and her performance in these subjects in school not only presently but also historically.

I said, "Tell me the truth. You didn't care how you did on the tests."

My daughter nodded.

I asked why she didn't care. She told me there were too many questions and toward the end she got tired and gave up. She also said what I was wondering if and waiting for her to say.

"Besides, they don't mean anything. It's more about the school and the teachers than me."

That is why I titled this blog "Our Students Understand THE TEST More Than We Realize." It is not that they understand the content or how to answer the items they are presented on the tests. It is that they understand that in states where the assessments do not affect their grades, whether they go to the next grade level, or whether they graduate — the tests really are not about them.

Students move to the next grade level despite how they perform on THE TEST. Students' final grades in a course are not impacted by their performance on THE TEST. The only "consequence" students will face based on their performance on THE TEST is they will receive extended learning time in literacy and/or math as part of the Response to Intervention (RtI) / Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) — and that is perfectly fine with many students who do not want to be challenged in school.

The parents also understand that the tests mean nothing to their students. That is why many parents have chosen to opt-out of the state assessments. That is why many parents do not stress to the students to do well on the state assessments.

However, THE TEST does impact the school and its staff — and the students understand this.

Schools are penalized because of the letter grade they receive. It impacts their standing with their state department of education. It impacts their reputation or standing in their community. Staff are also impacted by the letter grade. Many teachers whose class has a majority of students who did not attain proficiency on THE TEST have the scores held against them.

That is one of many reasons why students may not be performing well on state assessments. They understand it is about the school and staff, not them. They understand their results impact the school and staff, not them. They understand they do not need to care because THE TEST has nothing to do with them.

Sadly, they are right.

We need to change the attitude and culture of testing amongst all stakeholders — the students, the parents, the staff, and the overall school system.

We need to clarify and communicate what is the true purpose of assessment.

Assessment is measurable. It is about measuring and monitoring student performance and progress. That is not based on a letter grade or score given to the student, the staff, or even the school. It is about gauging growth. It is about making informed decisions about how to develop and deliver instruction. It is about encouraging students to demonstrate and communicate their learning up to and beyond the expectations set by a standard.

Assessment is a ceiling. It is about understanding what is the goal established by the learning expectation of a standard and how it sets the ceiling of assessment — the highest and deepest level a standardized assessment could and should demand students to demonstrate and communicate their learning. Webb's Depth of Knowledge (DOK) Levels are an effective resource and tool for determining not only the level of complexity but also what is the ceiling of assessment set by the most cognitively demanding objective of a standard's learning expectation.

Assessment is responsive. It is about determining where are the gaps. Start with the learning expectation of the standard as written and published. Inform the students this is the highest and deepest level of learning they are expected to demonstrate. Ask students, "What are the words, terms, or details you do not know or understand?" Have the students develop the foundational — or DOK-1 — learning experience based on what they do not know or understand, not just what they must learn.

Assessment is diagnostic. It is about planning how can students grow in their learning. Provide opportunities for students to demonstrate and communicate their deeper conceptual and procedural understanding. Turn the statements of objectives in the learning expectation of standards into good questions that will not only serve as assessments but also set the instructional focus. Have students address and respond to these questions in their own words.

Assessment is encouraging. It is about where else could students go. Assessments should be formative as well as summative. Benchmark assessments should inform students not only where they are and whether they met intended goals, objectives, or targets. They should also inform students what is the next stage and encourage them to challenge themselves and take that next step.

Assessment is authentic. It is about what else students could design, develop, or do. Standardized assessments are about the masses and the middle. Authentic assessments not only gauge but also showcase how students can demonstrate and communicate their learning in their own unique way.

Let us face it. THE TEST is not what it used to be — a measure of student learning or a means for school accountability. It is about advertising in that the school's letter grade not only impacts their standing in the community but also drives their marketing and recruitment campaign. It is about anxiety in that the schools, staff, and students are so stressed they are worrying themselves sick. It is also about apathy in that students have figured out THE TEST has no true impact on them.

Our students understand this, and we need to understand and accept that if we are ever to change the attitude and culture of assessment and truly determine how well our students, staff, and schools are performing.

Erik M. Francis, M.Ed., M.S., is an international author, educator, presenter, and professional development provider. He is the owner of Maverik Education, providing professional development, guidance, and support on how to plan and provide teaching and learning experiences that are standards based, socially and emotionally supportive, and student responsive.