Courier-Life Publications: More Testing for Public School Kids by Michèle De Meglio...

City and state standardized exams aren’t enough – public school students are about to undergo another round of testing.

The city Department of Education (DOE) has announced that $80 million will be spent to give students “assessment” tests several times throughout the school year.

These exams will not factor into students’ grades or promotion standings but will be used to see how students are progressing through the year and how well they understand the curriculum.

With that knowledge, teachers will be able to provide extra assistance to students who are falling behind, said schools Chancellor Joel Klein.

“They’ll be able to find out quickly exactly what students are learning and where they need more help,” he said. “These tools are quicker and more accurate than what our schools have today. They’ll make it easier for our educators to tailor instruction to meet the individual needs of every student.”

Last fall, the DOE implemented a similar assessment initiative which tested schoolchildren three times a year.

Starting in September, assessments will be administered five times a year for students in grades 3-8. High school students will be tested four times a year.

All of these tests will focus on math and English. Eventually, assessments will be administered in science and social studies as well.

Brooklyn parents had mixed reactions to news of the additional testing with some saying regular assessments will help struggling students and others saying children are overwhelmed by the increasing number of mandatory exams.

“It’s really a Catch-22,” said Eric St. Bernard, whose son will graduate from P.S. 235 in Flatbush this month. “The truth is that one size never fits all. There are some kids who do not need to go through that process. On the other hand, we also have children who are really falling behind in the basics, which are math and English. If you don’t master those, it’s difficult to move on.

“I can see both sides of the coin,” he continued. “I can see it getting a child frustrated who is doing well and needs to be challenged more. And I can see it assisting the child who needs to move up.”

Some local parents said there’s just too much testing.

With the DOE’s focus on accountability and policy of holding principals responsible if students don’t excel on standardized exams, parents fear teachers will have no choice but to teach for the test.

“The question becomes is this at the service of learning?” said David Bloomfield, president of the Citywide Council on High Schools (CCHS).

Valerie Jean Kizon, who has two children enrolled at Edward R. Murrow High School, wondered why the current system of three tests a year isn’t enough to determine how students are doing.

“Three exams a year are enough to see how the children are progressing,” Kizon said. “It’s a waste of money for them to do five.”