preparing for the big waves

Leadership, Nov, 2000 by Glen W. Thomas

The challenges facing school leaders will only become larger. We need to keep our eye on the horizon and not be caught unprepared.

Recently I was visiting with my friend Steve, an Algebra teacher. Steve, who first introduced me to running in the ninth grade (cross country), took me running on the beach. We ran along the base of cliffs and noticed that folks were busy shoring up the deteriorating slopes.

Even though the surf looked great, and surfers were out in full force, the reality is big waves wash up against these cliffs several times a year. The residents were preparing as best they could, trying to be esthetically pleasing and environmentally sensitive in their efforts to "shore up" the sides of the cliffs.

As we ran along the beach, the waves looked small to me. But that was because they were not breaking close to shore. They were a ways out on the horizon.

We have a number of big waves heading our way as education administrators. Right now they look small only because they are off shore. But as they draw closer they will be larger. We need to be prepared.

I will briefly discuss three big waves heading our way, then offer suggestions for "surfing" them successfully.

Big Wave No. 1: Standards scores into the API

Beginning summer 2001, the scores on the language arts portion of the standards-based exam (previously termed the STAR augmented test) will become part of the base for future calculations for the Academic Performance Index. Mathematics, science and history/social science standards test results will be fed into the API beginning spring 2002. We do not know the weight that will be given to the scores. But as the API begins to incorporate multiple measures, especially the standards-based tests, the standards take on new importance.

The State Board of Education approved the English/language arts and mathematics academic content standards in late 1997. Science and history/social studies standards were approved in late 1998. Science will begin to be tested at grades five and/or eight, and history at grade eight, if new legislation is passed.

To this point, the API has consisted solely of SAT 9 scores. Tests given on the standards have not had meaningful consequences, causing some to conclude that little attention needs to be paid to the standards. How wrong that thinking is!

It takes our "system" of schooling years to align against a new measure. We need all the time we can get to prepare -- to review courses for alignment against state standards, to complete standards-based professional development, to install new standards-aligned instructional materials, and to actually teach the standards. If we don't, we will be hit by wave No. 1. And it will be followed by another big wave.

Big Wave No. 2: Standards scores reported by performance levels

The State Board of Education is setting performance levels by identifying "cut scores" on the standards exams. These cut scores will define levels of performance in categories, such as proficient, basic and below basic, or perhaps mastery and below mastery. Both individual scores and disaggregated groups of students (by gender, ethnicity and language) will be reported according to these performance levels. When this occurs, achievement against standards will quickly be very public.

Reporting of student achievement by performance levels could be a serious wake-up call for us. We could be doing fairly well on national comparative measures and not show as well on a measure that is criterion based.

We, as an educational community, have been asking for a rapid transition to a criterion-based system where the assessment package is based on the state academic content standards. We need to be working with our administrators and teachers to be prepared for this eventuality -- and working with our communities for the possibility that achievement scores may not be as high as we desire the first several years as we transition more fully to the standards-based system. Performance-level reporting may impact us more significantly than we can currently imagine.

And if the first two waves haven't gotten our full attention, there's the next one.

Big Wave No. 3: High School Exit Exam

The State Board of Education selected the first form of the test this fall; it will be modified by the results of the fall field test. Spring 2001 ninth-graders can voluntarily take the exam. In spring 2002, all 10th-graders are required to take the exam. Results are to be reported back to students and the district eight weeks from administration, making the 2002 administration a very public activity. Finally, according to law, no student can receive a diploma in 2004 without having passed the High School Exit Exam.

The HSEE is rigorous in math and language arts, and includes at least two written essays (persuasive argument, a story about another person, an analysis of a fictional story or an empirical essay or research report based on supplied facts).

The independent evaluator (HumRRo) selected by bid to analyze the spring 2000 field test concluded that the items were well aligned to state standards, and that the state had accomplished a lot in a short time span. But the evaluator also raised several areas of potential concern. I will note four.