Testimony On High School Assessment Program
Leslie Schroeck
Guidance Counselor, La Plata High School
Charles County Public Schools
House Appropriations Committee and
The House Ways and Means Committee
February 9, 2007
As the Class of 2009 moves a year closer to graduation, the realities of the Maryland High School Assessment program are placing a great deal of stress on students and educators. There are many issues surrounding these high-stakes tests that need to be addressed.
If educators are to prepare students for the world they will face upon the completion of their K-12 education, they need to set high standards and encourage all students to meet those standards. However, my colleagues and I are not convinced that ALL students need to meet the same standards to be prepared for a successful future. We believe standards should be set according to the needs and abilities of the students. The Maryland High School Assessment program fails to do this. The educational community encourages teachers to use a variety of methods to assess student learning, yet the Maryland High School Assessment program requires all students to pass the same 4 tests in order to receive a high school diploma.
Of course, our best students will do well in any school and on any test, regardless of what we as educators do. The students we worry about are those with identified special needs, those who are still learning English, and especially those who are doing the very best they can with what they have. These are the students who are working the hardest and for whom we are putting forth most of our efforts. We foresee increasingly larger retention and dropout rates as these struggling students become more and more frustrated with the demands of these tests. What is the point in trying again when they have already given their best effort? What is the point in staying in school when they fear they will never pass these tests and earn a diploma?
Exacerbating this problem is that, to provide the type of intense instruction or remediation these students need in order to have a chance of passing the tests, we must take away their elective classes and replace them with additional academic classes that do not meet graduation requirements in the core subject areas. As is the case with many struggling students, electives give them an opportunity to develop interests they otherwise would never have a chance to explore. Elective classes serve a purpose in keeping these students motivated and in school.
Although the issue of how the HSA program is affecting our students is an area of great concern, my counseling colleagues and I also have concerns about the time it takes to get scores back to the schools. HSA exams are given in late May and results are not sent to the schools until mid to late August. Students who fail one or more tests must receive remediation, forcing us to make last minute adjustments to student schedules. The beginning of the school year is already busy, and the delay in receiving HSA scores only puts additional stress on the school personnel responsible for getting everything in place for the first day.
Another issue related to the delay in receiving scores is the transient nature of the population. In the time it takes to receive scores, numerous students will move and change schools. The student records need to be sent immediately, but the HSA scores are not yet available. The receiving school has no way of knowing if the student even took the assessment, yet alone the score. This critical information is needed when developing an appropriate schedule that meets the needs of the student. I have yet to receive HSA scores for 2 students who enrolled at La Plata High School last August, even after making several attempts during the year. The time I have spent tracking down HSA scores for my new juniors has taken away from the time I have had to help new students transition to a new school at an already difficult time in their lives.
I have enlisted the help of Charles County 's Director of Research and Assessment, yet he needs to call every county individually to obtain scores. In a growing county such as ours, where there are a significant number of new enrollments each year, this becomes a Herculean task for one person. MSDE has told us t here is a centralized database for HSA scores “in the works,” but it remains to be seen whether this will actually get up and running and, if so, whether it will be effective.
The many issues surrounding the Maryland High School Assessment program need to be addressed. HSA places a heavy weight on students and school personnel. I urge you to consider the students and educators as you review the current program. Thank you for your consideration.
