Now
Fair
51°
High
51°
Low
29°
Full Forecast

Jobs

Cars

Homes

Rentals

Alerts

Subscribe
Home > News > Local
Bookmark Us   •   Make Us Your Homepage

State ed board OKs testing schedule

Comments 10 comment(s)  
E-mail Story E-mail Story
Print Story Print Story
Share  Share
Text Size: 
Tools Sponsor

By KEVIN ABOUREZK / Lincoln Journal Star

Saturday, Sep 06, 2008 - 01:39:13 pm CDT

Nebraska students and teachers in grades four, eight and 11 will face long testing schedules in the coming years after the Nebraska Board of Education approved a testing schedule for state and national assessments on Friday.

“Schools are very happy to know these decisions are made and they can proceed,” said Pat Roschewski, director of statewide assessment.

Last year, the Legislature voted to use statewide tests in reading, math, social studies and science instead of the embattled STARS system, which allowed school districts to develop their own assessments to determine whether their students met state standards.

Story Photo
Bob Evnen

On Friday, the board voted to require districts to administer state tests on the following schedule:

* Reading: grades three through eight and 11.

* Math: grades three through eight and 11.

* Science: grades five, eight and 11.

* Writing: grades four, eight and 11.

The Legislature also required the state Board of Education to recommend to school districts what national tests should be administered and which grade levels should be reported.

The board voted Friday to recommend that districts report to the Department of Education national test results in the following grades:

* Reading: grades four, eight and 10.

* Math: grades four, eight and 10.

The board also voted to recommend that districts use the Terra Nova, Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Stanford Achievement Test or Northwest Evaluation Association test in grades four and eight and that districts use ACT’s PLAN assessment in grade 10.

By law, the state board has until July 1, 2009, to develop new reading standards and assessments, but it plans to pilot a statewide reading test this spring.

The state board has until July 1, 2010, to develop new math standards and assessments; and until July 1, 2013, to develop new standards and assessments for writing, science and social studies.

While all seven state board members present to vote Friday voted to approve the testing schedule, not all the board members were entirely happy with the schedule.

Board member Joe Higgins said he was disappointed that the board had decided to schedule five of six of the state and national tests for fourth grade, rather than schedule some of those tests for other grades.

“I want you to know I think we are making a mistake,” he said.

At a board work session Thursday, board members had considered scheduling the national reading and math tests for third grade but changed the tests to fourth grade after hearing concerns from teachers and school administrators about testing children at such a young age.

Board member Jim Scheer suggested the board consider trying to combine some of the state and national tests.

Roschewski said that would be possible, though it likely would disrupt this spring’s testing and would be a question better explored for the next school year.

The board took no action on the proposal to combine tests.

Board member Bob Evnen said Friday combining state and national tests would reduce the testing footprint in classrooms but still provide highly useful information.

“From the standpoint of investigating it, I think it would be really worthwhile,” he said.

Reach Kevin Abourezk at 473-7225 or kabourezk@journalstar.com.


$1 Sunday Delivery - Subscribe Today!
Local > Back to Top of Story

Post Your Comment

Standards and Rules
All posts to JournalStar.com are subject to our Terms and Standards.
Your posted comment will appear after it has been approved.
Frequently asked questions about story commenting.
(optional)
   
Hide Comments Hide Comments   Newest First Newest First  
hated wrote on September 6, 2008 2:40 pm:
" I hated these tests. It got to a point where I just filled in the answers on the scan sheet to make pretty pictures by filling in the dots. They were horribly long. "

 Anna wrote on September 6, 2008 3:09 pm:
" How much money will all this testing cost? Five tests, in one year, for every fourth grader in the state? "

 what a shame and a sham wrote on September 6, 2008 3:59 pm:
" No Child Left Untested. Education has become a teach to the test experience for kids. "

 Tyler D wrote on September 6, 2008 4:13 pm:
" When every school in the state takes these tests, it will be published on how every school in the state ranks. As a teacher, you'd better hope your school is in the middle third, otherwise you'll be accused of teaching to the test or you'll be considered a poor teacher and a terrible district. "

 Chip wrote on September 6, 2008 4:52 pm:
" NCLB is horrendous legislation that DOES NOT WORK! Constant testing may pacify politicians, but it DOES NOT IMPROVE LEARNING. All of the "education" stupidity supported by Bush is doing nothing but sucking the life out of learning and teaching. "

 Homeschooling mom wrote on September 6, 2008 5:48 pm:
" Thank goodness I am homeschooling my kids. As a former public school teacher I was so tired of teaching to the test-- because that IS what happens! Takes away from the creativity and the fun of learning. Kids get bored out of their mind when they are learning fact after fact for a test and get absolutely nothing out it. "

 acminnesota wrote on September 6, 2008 5:52 pm:
" What motivates a student to do well on all these tests. Most students will take the test in a very passive manner and nothing is proved by the tests. Lawmakers need to get their hands out of the schools. Teachers know how to teach, "

 TB wrote on September 6, 2008 7:51 pm:
" Here we go again? A number of suits sit in a room and decide that tests should be given to students in the state. The problem here is that these people don't have any idea of the work they have added to teachers. It seems that these people don't care about what the teacher's have to do? Just so they get these tests goin. Then if a school doesn't do well than the teacher and school will be second guessed for not doing a good job. I know they will say that schools won't be commpared but they will. When will the state department start thinking about the teachers? "

 help wrote on September 6, 2008 10:20 pm:
" As a teacher I would like the State Board of Education to tell me how I am supposed to motivate the few students I have who don't care, no matter what you do or say, and receive scores which don't even register and are not a true indication of their ability. It's nice to be able to give assessments, each one at a time in each subject, and not spend three days testing. After the first few test, some students will give up because it's too much at one time. Sometimes I wonder if the people on the board even know anything about education!! "

 double shame-sham wrote on September 7, 2008 3:05 pm:
" Why do ELL students have to take those tests? 6 months in the US, just beginning to grasp basic English, has to test out of 8th grade Algebra, Science, and the rest! Their response: "That does not make sense!" My response, "You are right! We have to do it anyway." - Administration response: it is a State Requirement! WHO are the individuals in State? It does not matter - it does not reflect on/affect the students' grades, just go do it! - It is just so the schools can "get the money", we have to prove we did the tests. What a sham. What a lesson for the students in honesty, integrity and valueing your word. A perfect training in duplicity and cyicism. - What if I refuse? Another teacher gives the test, and what happens to me, my job? I am not a team-player, I don't fit in, I am a trouble-maker. So - what about ethics? - This is a lose/lose proposition. And I who want to protest, feel raped. What a sham. "

Ads by Yahoo!