By: Nick D’Amore
The Elementary School Proficiency Assessments may see some changes this year and could be eliminated in the near future.
The state education commissioner William Librera has told the state Board of Education that the ESPAs might not have a role in New Jersey education, especially since President George Bush’s federal education bill requires testing of students in third- through eighth-grade and Gov. James McGreevey has proposed an early reading initiative.
Mr. Librera said the ESPA will not be part of ongoing assessment plans following this year’s tests.
For this year, however, he proposed changes to the ESPA, such as having districts score the tests themselves and eliminating the science and social studies portions of the tests.
The federal and state governments plan to focus more on reading, writing and math, said state Department of Education spokesman Richard Vespucci.
The ESPA is a state-mandated test for fourth-grades, assessing their skills in language arts literacy, mathematics, science and social studies.
Approved by President George W. Bush in December and passed by Congress in January, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires annual testing of students in third- through eighth-grade.
Mr. Librera said in his memo to the state Board of Education that the ESPA is "inconsistent" with the reading initiatives of the federal education bill and the governor’s Early Literacy Initiative.
"The problem with the ESPA is that it is inconsistent with the needs of our Early Literacy Initiative as established for all third-grade students and the new federal legislation that requires, eventually, for all states to have a state-developed or commercially developed test for all students in grades 3-8," he said.
Mr. Vespucci said having all public school students starting third grade able to read at that level is a major goal of the commissioner and governor.
Mr. Librera said the biggest problem with the ESPA is the state doesn’t get results until September. The test is given in the spring. Mr. Librera said he would like districts to grade the tests themselves this year.
"Since the State of New Jersey owns this test, this will save the cost of the scoring of the test and the districts will be able to use the test diagnostically to determine growth and gain," he said, adding that the state would save $1 million.
Also, he would use only the language arts and mathematics section of the ESPA this year.
While Mr. Librera said altering the ESPA would not solve the problem of the state’s Early Literacy Initiative for all third-graders. The program "will not be served by waiting until a state or state-approved test is given in the spring of 2003, as we will then lose almost a year and a half of time to respond to students and districts in need."
Mr. Librera also suggested limiting the Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment because of the "need to re-examine all of our assessment measures."
He proposed then that the state use the results of students scoring in the partially proficient range on the ESPA as "an approximate gauge" of children in need of assistance because they have not scored proficient in reading by the third grade.
"We certainly understand that such an approach is not statistically valid, but it will give us a starting point so we can begin assistance to district and students this July," he said.
Mr. Vespucci said it is still being discussed at the state level whether Mr. Librera’s recommendations would need state Board of Education or state Legislature approval.
"The commissioner promised he would seek clarification from the attorney general as to what are the appropriate steps to bring about changes," said Mr. Vespucci.
He said Mr. Librera will bring that information to the state board Feb. 20.
John Haymond, the district’s director of testing and student information, said questions remain about whether the commissioner can actually institute his proposals.
"It’s a bit removed from being reality. There are questions about how much he can or should do unilaterally," said Mr. Haymond.
Mr. Haymond said there are advantages to those proposals.
"Part of the problem is that it takes so long to get the tests sent out and scored. Any way that could be speeded up would be an advantage," he said.
Mr. Haymond said the latest proposals are indicative of a move away from the stringent standards the state set up.
"In my opinion, I think the state set up to measure core standards and were ambitiously moving that way. Then, they saw it was quite an enterprise and began stepping back," he said.
He said the township would be able to score its own tests because they have their own assessments.
"It may difficult for some districts without experience, but it could bring a faster turnaround," said Mr. Haymond.
He said he thought it would make more sense for the state to concentrate primarily on language arts and math.
"It might make sense for the state to focus on reading, writing, mathematics and problem solving and really good data on that," he said.
"You can’t administer testing in so many areas. Our district can find other ways to test science and social studies."
Mr. Haymond said reading, writing, problem solving and thinking critically and analytically are the foundation of all areas of learning.
Rick Chromey, principal of Deans School, said he thought the state has been moving too fast since it came out with its testing initiatives. The tests were announced in 1997 and first given to students in 1999.
"The number of days preparation and testing consume is incredible. There needs to be more time to teach," he said.
