A close-up examination of the reasoning behind the plan to introduce
voluntary national tests of reading and mathematics in America's schools
in March 1999.
"Tonight, I issue a challenge to the nation: Every state should
adopt high national standards and, by 1999, every state should test every
fourth grader in reading and every eighth grader in math to make sure
these standards are met."
--President Clinton, State of the Union Address, February 4, 1997
In his State
of the Union Address, President Clinton proposed a voluntary,
national reading test at grade 4 and a math test at grade 8. The tests---which
will be offered for the first time in March 1999---are intended to provide
information for parents and teachers about how their students are progressing
compared to students in other states and other countries.
"We must provide all our people with the best education in the world,"
Clinton said in his annual address, in which he challenged America to
commit to a bold ten-point
plan of action for American education. The first of those ten
points was to "set rigorous national standards."
"As a nation, we do not expect enough of our students," President Clinton
said. "We know that every child in America can meet higher standards,
if we have the courage and the vision to set the standards, to teach up
to them, and to test whether children have learned what we have taught
them."
Clinton notes that what the top 20 percent of our students typically
learn in math in the eighth grade is learned by most students in Japan
in the seventh grade. And while today America's fourth graders read as
well as ever on average, 40 percent cannot read as well as they should.
"These tests are about high standards, improving expectations, and giving
our young people the basic skills they need that will prepare them for
the knowledge-driven economy in the 21st century," said Richard W. Riley,
Secretary of Education, in his statement
about the Voluntary National Tests for Reading and Math. "Our young
people need to master the basics once and for all. And parents deserve
to know how their children are achieving."
So far, fifteen urban school districts have announced that they plan
to participate in voluntary national tests in 4th-grade reading and 8th-grade
math, the President announced on July 25 in a speech to the National Association
of Elementary School Principals. These 15 urban school systems---which
include the 3 largest (New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago) and 6
of the 7 largest in the U.S.---join the states of Kentucky, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, and West Virginia, and Department
of Defense schools (which together serve nearly 1/5th of the nation's
students) in pledging to take part in the tests.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE TESTS
Following are questions and answers that will provide some general information
about the voluntary tests. This in not intended to be a detailed, everything-you-wanted-to-know
about the plan. Internet connections listed in the content and below will
provide additional details.
Why test fourth graders in reading and eighth graders in math?
The decision was "a very deliberate one," says Secretary of Education
Richard W. Riley. "Reading and math are the core basics, and fourth and
eighth grades are critical transition points in a child's educational
experience."
"It is essential that our students master the basics of reading English
by the end of third grade," says President Clinton. "At fourth grade,
students are expected to read so they can learn science, history, literature,
and mathematics. If they can read by then, they can read to learn for
a lifetime. Students who fail to read well by fourth grade often have
a greater likelihood of dropping out and a lifetime of diminished success."
"It is also important that our students master the basics of math and
the essentials of algebra and even geometry by the end of eighth grade,"
Clinton adds. "They will then have the foundation to take college prep
courses in high school and compete in the world arena. The United States
ranks below average internationally in eighth grade math. We must do better."
NAEP and TIMSS do not show how individual students perform. The tests
are administered to a random sample of students in participating states,
rather than to all students. Each student in the sample takes only a portion
of the total test questions. As a result, no student or parent currently
receives a score from these tests.
On what standards will the tests be based?
The tests will be based on content standards already established through
a national consensus process. The content---or test items---for both the
reading and math tests will be based on the Content
Frameworks developed for the NAEP.
How will the tests be made available?
The tests will be made available to test publishers, states, districts,
and others under a licensing agreement or similar compact. States, districts,
schools, teachers, and other individuals will be able to assess students
in the spring of every year, beginning in the spring of 1999. Use of the
tests will be strictly voluntary and decisions about whether or not to
participate will not affect continuing participation in Federal programs.
Why test?
"Raising standards will not be easy," said President Clinton in his
State of the Union address. "Some of our children will not be able to
meet them at first. The point is not to put our children down, but to
lift them up. Good tests will show us who needs help, what changes in
teaching to make, and which schools need to improve."
"These new tests are an opportunity, not a requirement; a national challenge,
not a national curriculum," says Richard Riley. "This will be a very healthy
development. We should not and must not tolerate failing schools."
"I will be more than happy if the results of these tests light some
fires under some people and help turn around failing schools," Riley adds.
"The tests will fundamentally improve our thinking when it comes to defining
expectations. And that just needs to happen, sooner rather than later."
"Our children are smarter than we think. I just can't say that enough,"
Riley emphasizes. "We simply need to challenge their minds so that they
are prepared for the 21st century."
"I also believe these tests are absolutely essential for the future
of American education," Riley concludes. "The American people are 'tuned
in' to education, and they have made it quite clear that they expect us
to make education this nation's number one priority. These voluntary national
tests are at the very heart of our efforts to achieve excellence."
ADDITIONAL POINTS ABOUT THE VOLUNTARY TESTS
After each administration, the entire test along with answers, scoring
guides, and other materials will be released to the public and placed
on the Internet so that students, parents, and teachers can know what
is expected to reach standards of excellence in reading and math.
The total cost of developing the tests will be between $10-12 million
annually. The Department of Education intends to reimburse licensees
(for example, states, school districts, and testing companies) that
wish to administer the tests in 1999. The costs of administration are
estimated at $10 to $12 per student.
The new reading and math tests will take about 90 minutes to administer
and will include about 80 percent multiple choice, with 20 percent constructed
response (students produce their own answers), including one extended
constructed response item. About 50 percent of test time will be devoted
to constructed response.
If possible, sample tests will be developed and made available in
the fall of 1998.
Test results will be reported within the same school year as the tests
are taken.
Related Resources
Voluntary
National Tests This overview from the U.S. Department of Education
includes information about who'll be developing the tests and a chart
detailing the differences between these voluntary tests and the NAEP
and TIMSS measures.
What
Do We Mean by Reading Independently? A look at the NAEP reading
standards and some sample questions from that test that will mirror
the kinds of questions likely to be asked in the national voluntary
tests.
What
Do We Mean by Challenging Math? Sample items from the NAEP and TIMSS
math tests that mirror the kinds of questions likely to be asked in
the national voluntary tests.
