Prophets and Pariahs

It is July, and with my district's calendar set to begin earlier this year in order to fit more prep time prior to state assessments, it is time to consider the coming year. In a little more than a month I'll meet 130 or so sophomores brimming with enthusiasm at the prospect of learning American History, and (better yet) being tested by the state of Ohio on their acquired knowledge of American History, in order to facilitate their graduation, overall sense of accomplishment, and self-actualization.

On day one, I will be able to report that their state legislators have worked in their interest to revise the albatross of a testing system that they suffered through last year. The state's budget bill has dumped PARCC, I will inform them, limited the testing to a single window, moved the tests nearer the end of the year, assured a quick turnaround on scores, and promised shorter assessments overall.

Upon delivering said information to my classes, I imagine the cheers will be heard for miles around before we share high-fives, and our laughter mixes with tears of joy. The religious might offer up a quick prayer of thanks, while the non-religious will simply shake their heads in disbelief at an example of adults in leadership roles doing the right thing. Their faith in the goodness of humankind will be restored. I will become something of a prophet and cult hero having delivered the information.

I conservatively estimate that this celebration will last through the first few days of school. By day three, having exhausted a case of tissues, and nearly suffered dehydration through the expulsion of tears, we will begin to regain control. At this point, a conscientious hand will rise in the back of the room.

Mr. Jablonski, exactly when will the tests occur?

Well, I'm not sure.

How long will they be?

Uh, PARCC was going to shorten them by 15%, but Senator Lehner, Head of the Education Committee, said she'd like to see them shortened by 50%, but the law did not specifically indicate how short they'd have to be. So, I guess somewhere between half as long and not shortened at all.

So, we might have to take a 3 hour assessment in a single testing window?

Well, that's terribly pessimistic, but yes.

What will the tests look like? Like, how many essays, how long will they have to be? How much multiple choice? Are there source readings? Will they be long? Boring? And how does this effect the graduation requirement? Will we take the tests with our class? Or homeroom? Or be placed in testing groups with administrators we don't know?

And just like last year, this group of students will be met with a resounding and unfair, "I don't know."

And most assuredly my hero status will plummet, and I will be a pariah, trying to balance something of a meaningful American History course while schlepping test prep materials in order to meet the demands of an albatross of an assessment system.

No, I don't know what the tests will be like, kids, but I know that without a proper process to assure their reliability and validity, those tests will judge your merit as my student, my value as your teacher, the quality of our school, and the accomplishments of our district. Now let's get to it.