Local School Officials Not In Favor Of Longer State Tests

Elementary and middle school students will clock more time on standardized testing beginning in April, when the extended times for New York State math and language arts tests take effect.

The New York Times broke the news in its Dec. 19 article, State Tests Extended to About Three Hours.

The state’s education commissioner, John B. King Jr., announced the testing times in a memorandum sent Monday to superintendents and principals across New York. The tests will grow by up to 70 minutes for third-grade math, and by up to 25 minutes for third-grade language arts.

Sayville Superintendent Walter Schartner said the time frames for the upcoming tests do not coincide with student development.

“This is totally inappropriate developmentally for grades three and four,” he said. “This will be a test of stamina rather than knowledge. I do not believe the testing system is an accurate or an appropriate measure of student learning.”

According to the Times article:

The change will mean that math testing, which was previously held over two days, will be extended to a third day — as language arts tests are set up now. The annual high-stakes tests, given to students in grades three through eight, are used to help determine a school district’s overall standing and this school year will factor into teacher evaluations.

Schartner estimates that students grades 3-8 lose two weeks of classroom time for testing, then another two weeks of instruction while teachers grade the assessments.

“It’s [NYS testing program] an inappropriate measure of student learning and impedes the teacher’s ability to educate his or her students,” he said.

Parents need to get involved, says Schartner, who encourages the general public to communicate with government on this issue.

Administrators and teachers have communicated to local legislators that this testing is not helping children, but rather hurting them by impacting valuable instruction time, Schartner said.

He added that until the general public (the parents) gets involved in the politics to stop this, the inappropriate testing will continue.

“The politicians feel that we are [schools] only complaining because it holds us accountable,” Schartner said.

Sayville Public Schools have in general always been successful on the exams, according to the superintendent, who noted that Sayville Middle School is a National School of Excellence.

“My feeling is that this accomplishment is due to the hard work of the teachers and parents and in spite of the testing program,” Schartner said.

Bayport-Blue Point school district officials were not immediately available for comment.