The mediocre showing by U.S. students on an important, internationally administered test has sparked animated discussion as to why countries in Asia and Europe greatly outscored American 15-year-olds.
Our students notched only average scores in science and reading and slightly below average in math on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).
Those results are a prime example of why reform efforts must continue, despite the opposition of entrenched interests in education that are bent on protecting the status quo.
Reformers are backing efforts to put great teachers and principals in every school, institute pay-for-performance plans, and provide quality programs for students whether they are district or charter schools. It is a battle that will be fought state by state, district by district, school by school.
But Colorado, and Denver in particular, are at the leading edge of this movement, a development that has not gone unnoticed by those who prefer the status quo. We’re concerned Colorado’s innovation will be targeted by national interests who see value in derailing reform.
Our prediction: Traditionally low-key Denver school board races will become big-money fights in 2011 as out-of-state interests battle over the direction of Denver Public Schools.
In 2009, Denver experienced a harbinger of what’s to come with the political advocacy of the local teacher’s union and the reform-minded group, Stand For Children.
The school board elections next year, in which three seats on the seven-member board are up, could tip the balance of the board, which now favors strong reforms.
We hope those who care about school improvement are paying attention. It would be devastating if school board reformers were to lose their 4-3 edge. That could mean the end of Superintendent Tom Boasberg’s tenure, and the efforts that we think are a comprehensive, local response to the kind of mediocrity reflected in the PISA scores.
We are mindful of the criticisms of the PISA results and the sort of systems that created the higher test scores.
The U.S. should not endorse a culture, such as that in China, where education emphasizes rote memorization in an obsessively test-centric fashion. Shanghai’s admirable achievement undoubtedly is a product of that emphasis.
Nevertheless, there is an important place for standardized testing. Measuring achievement is valuable in assessing student progress and teacher efficacy.
For instance, Colorado’s controversial Senate Bill 191, which links teacher tenure to student test scores, only looks to student test score improvement for half of a teacher’s evaluation. It offers teachers opportunities to improve their evaluation through professional development. And something that often goes unnoted in discussions about 191 is that principals are included and evaluated in the same general fashion.
This is one of many efforts designed to improve education. These reforms must be nurtured and encouraged so they gain the critical mass to put a dent in the nation’s educational achievement deficiencies, especially in this global economy.
