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Educators here divided on bill that proposes study guide for ISTEP
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Danielle Gingerich, 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13860, dgingerich@heraldargus.com
LA PORTE COUNTY -- For students and teachers gearing up for next year’s ISTEP testing, a piece of proposed legislation could provide valuable answers to the test’s many questions.
The bill would require the Department of Education to provide schools with a type of study guide containing information about what academic standards are included on the test and how many questions will be asked about each standard.
The House Education Committee approved House Bill 1304 in a 10-2 vote, and the Indiana House of Representatives advanced the bill by a 63-32 vote for consideration in the Senate.
Although schools would not be given actual test questions, they would have a general idea of items students should learn to prepare for testing. Currently, schools are not told told what standards will be on the ISTEP tests, although sample ISTEP questions are available online.
Patty Steele, coordinator of instructional programs and assessment for La Porte schools, said she supports the bill fully.
“It would be very beneficial,” she told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Thursday morning. “It would allow us to prepare students a little better for the test.”
Steele compared the current situation of not giving specific ISTEP requirements to teachers and students to a coach being prohibited from scouting an opposing team.
Providing teachers specific requirements would allow them to better prepare students for testing, she said.
“It’s a guessing game for us as educators,” Steele said of the current situation. “They won’t tell us what their game plan is about.”
But some legislators and educators have criticized the bill, saying it would be detrimental to a well-rounded curriculum.
State Rep. Tom Dermody, R-La Porte, voted against the bill, instead suggesting the state broaden the focus from once-yearly testing to diagnostic testing.
“Once we have established a student’s individual strengths and weaknesses, we should then measure improvement by a series of short diagnostic tests throughout the school year,” he said in a press release.
“This is a common-sense approach, and its time has come.”
Jan Radford, director of K-12 curriculum for Michigan City schools, said she views the bill as a double-edged sword. While the bill would provide a comfort zone for teachers, it may narrow teaching.
“The world is a lot bigger than ISTEP, but that is what we’re measured by,” she said. “I want our kids to be able to problem solve and think individually.”
And although Radford was not certain that all teachers would tailor their lessons specifically to ISTEP requirements, the temptation would be there.
“There’s a danger to do that because it’s such a huge stakes test,” she said.
Steel disagrees.
“It would allow you to enrich students and teachers to be more diagnostic,” she said. “Teachers would have a narrowed focus on the bottom line and take it further.” By knowing the specifics of the test, teachers could teach those specifics and then further challenge the students who are achieving faster, she said.
-- The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Comment on this story
Danielle Gingerich, 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13860, dgingerich@heraldargus.com
LA PORTE COUNTY -- For students and teachers gearing up for next year’s ISTEP testing, a piece of proposed legislation could provide valuable answers to the test’s many questions.
The bill would require the Department of Education to provide schools with a type of study guide containing information about what academic standards are included on the test and how many questions will be asked about each standard.
The House Education Committee approved House Bill 1304 in a 10-2 vote, and the Indiana House of Representatives advanced the bill by a 63-32 vote for consideration in the Senate.
Although schools would not be given actual test questions, they would have a general idea of items students should learn to prepare for testing. Currently, schools are not told told what standards will be on the ISTEP tests, although sample ISTEP questions are available online.
Patty Steele, coordinator of instructional programs and assessment for La Porte schools, said she supports the bill fully.
“It would be very beneficial,” she told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Thursday morning. “It would allow us to prepare students a little better for the test.”
Steele compared the current situation of not giving specific ISTEP requirements to teachers and students to a coach being prohibited from scouting an opposing team.
Providing teachers specific requirements would allow them to better prepare students for testing, she said.
“It’s a guessing game for us as educators,” Steele said of the current situation. “They won’t tell us what their game plan is about.”
But some legislators and educators have criticized the bill, saying it would be detrimental to a well-rounded curriculum.
State Rep. Tom Dermody, R-La Porte, voted against the bill, instead suggesting the state broaden the focus from once-yearly testing to diagnostic testing.
“Once we have established a student’s individual strengths and weaknesses, we should then measure improvement by a series of short diagnostic tests throughout the school year,” he said in a press release.
“This is a common-sense approach, and its time has come.”
Jan Radford, director of K-12 curriculum for Michigan City schools, said she views the bill as a double-edged sword. While the bill would provide a comfort zone for teachers, it may narrow teaching.
“The world is a lot bigger than ISTEP, but that is what we’re measured by,” she said. “I want our kids to be able to problem solve and think individually.”
And although Radford was not certain that all teachers would tailor their lessons specifically to ISTEP requirements, the temptation would be there.
“There’s a danger to do that because it’s such a huge stakes test,” she said.
Steel disagrees.
“It would allow you to enrich students and teachers to be more diagnostic,” she said. “Teachers would have a narrowed focus on the bottom line and take it further.” By knowing the specifics of the test, teachers could teach those specifics and then further challenge the students who are achieving faster, she said.
-- The Associated Press contributed to this story.