Roseann Mesheau CIT 609

Curriculum Standards Critique

            Because of the No Child Left Behind Initiative (NCLB) in 2001, Massachusetts has mandated a basic skills proficiency test.  It is called the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS).  In order for a student to receive a high school diploma, the student must pass the 10th grade tests in English, math and science.    Students with mixed ability, mixed disability, and with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) are all included in the summary results that determine the AYP (Average yearly progress) needed to continue to receive funding from the state.  LEP students, as an example, do receive a few accommodations, but their knowledge of the subject is not displayed to the fullest with this one-dimensional, high stakes, criterion-referenced test.

             To become classified as an LEP student, the MEPA test is administrated. An outline of the curriculum is available at www.doe.ma.edu/mcas/mepa/ to assist in helping the student become proficient in English.  If a student is not classified as LEP and still have a difficulty with English as the second language, than there are no accommodations allowed when taking the MCAS test.

            The first year that a student has been identified as LEP allows that student to be exempt from the English Language exam, but the math and science exams are still required.  A student classified as LEP for fewer than three years may use the English/Spanish test only available for the Mathematics 10 test and retest.  The test administrator must be fluent in Spanish also. After three years, all LEP students are required to take all three MCAS tests.  The only accommodation allowed on the math and science test is a pre-approved word-to word dictionary. The results from first year students are not calculated in to the summary report or the AYP analysis data, but the results of students after the first year are calculated into all formulas.

            Although the Massachusetts Frameworks Curriculum has set a guideline for all school to follow for core subjects, the test for the mastery of the material is too narrow in scope.  The validity of the test must be suspect.  The norming groups used in the development of standardized achievement tests often do not include LEPs.  Moreover, just as there is no amorphous “regular education” student, there is no one-size-fits LEP student (Pappamihiel & Walser, 2009).

            In the classroom, I used varied assessments to evaluate each student’s growth throughout the semester.  During the Brain Based Learning course (33049, Winter 2), the Multiple Intelligence theory was studies and implemented in my lesson plans. I am careful to include direction for my visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners in the room.  Through the course of study in Curriculum and Instruction (32871, Winter 1), differentiated instruction has become a common practice in the classroom.  Special attention is made to provide an environment that is conducive to the different types of students in my room.  I use these techniques to teach the Massachusetts Frameworks math curriculum and I use varied assessment so my students can show mastery of these standards.  I think that the government can be mindful of the students that their tests are affecting, like LEP students, and find a way to let the student show how they have grow at there own pace, not at a predetermined pace.

References

Pappamihiel, N.E. & Walser, T.M.  (2009). English language and complexity theory:  Why current accountability systems do not measure up, 72(2), 133-40.