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My
understanding of the Minnesota system is that there are two levels of
evaluation. One to establish the floor above which all students should
rise. Tests for this level (called the Basic Standards
Test?) evaluate the minimum level of knowledge for all students departing
high school (but tested at several grades prior to the 12th). The Profile
of Learning on the other hand was intended to evaluate and allow students to
demonstrate what they had learned beyond the basic standards.
Demonstrating the width and breadth of your knowledge above some minimum level
is a much more complex thing to do, hence, the Profiles of Learning ended up
being complex, perhaps bureaucratic, and not well understood by
some.
Properly
designed tests which measure whether students are meeting a basic minimum level
should never require "teaching to a test". Teachers should already be
teaching well beyond this level. If they are not, the continuance of
their jobs should be in jeopardy.
I would
prefer that standardized testing not be necessary. But it seems that the
days when all school districts could be relied upon to graduate students
adequately prepared for the life ahead of them are behind us. In my mind,
it is essential that all high school graduates have at least a minimally
adequate education. I can conceive of no way to determine progress
toward that goal without some form of standardized
testing. Beyond testing, some method of either compelling school
districts to teach their students to least to the minimum, or making it
possible for parents to send their children elsewhere for their
education, if they so choose, is required.
I could live
without a Profile of Learning type standard. It would be appropriate to
look at that again when we have been assured that the minimum standards are
being met.
Glen Schumann -----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Joliene Olson Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2001 11:25 AM To: onlinedemocracy Subject: [Winona] Thank you Scott
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