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EDITORIAL: Testing Loophole Needs Closing

Posted on: Thursday, 20 April 2006, 12:00 CDT

By The Daily Oklahoman

Apr. 20--The state Board of Education needs to rethink how many students it exempts from school testing reports, to bring the number more in line with other states and ensure parents and taxpayers aren't getting an incomplete picture of student achievement.

The Associated Press analyzed how states differ in No Child Left Behind reporting on the test scores of certain groups, including race, disability, income level and English-speaking ability. Oklahoma allows schools not to be judged based on the performance of "subgroups" if fewer than 52 students fit in a particular category. That allows many, particularly small, schools to potentially avoid being labeled as needing improvement and subjected to penalties ranging from allowing students to transfer to changing curriculum to replacing teachers and administrators. Oklahoma's 52-student standard is the highest of surrounding states and that's cause for concern.

Subgroup minimums have statistical validity. No one wants schools punished based on the scores of a few students. But that problem must be balanced with holding schools to high standards for all students.

State education officials rightly note that the federal education department approved the accountability system, including the 52-student minimum. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said she was surprised at how many students nationwide are exempted -- about 2 million. We wouldn't be surprised to see Spellings and her colleagues ask Oklahoma to change its reporting policies.

As many educators have pointed out, the real value in test scores is to see the progress and weak areas of individual students. The vast majority of students are still being tested, even if their scores don't show up in school- or district-level reports.

But the idea that schools might be using the exemptions to hide behind the numbers and avoid penalties is disappointing. Oklahoma's education leaders need to make sure schools aren't allowing a numbers game to duck accountability.

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Source: The Daily Oklahoman

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