NAEP test time is here; let’s show US we’re not 50th!
I spend every day in a classroom of students that I know are not 50th in nation as far as their education is concerned. No teacher in New Mexico enjoys seeing the educational rankings placing our students at the bottom of the nation, but in current reality, students are given an assessment every other year that determines the states’ rankings. I have taught for years in New Mexico and up until recently, I had no idea how those rankings were determined. This national ranking is determined by data received from NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress), an hourlong test that a section of fourth-grade and eighth-grade students take every other year from roughly 300 schools from around the state.
It is easy to push this test into the backs of our minds and focus on the task at hand, teaching our students the standards and expectations that we are measured on at the end of the year. The important part to remember in regard to NAEP is that this test counts. It is a chance to show New Mexico and the country that we are not a 50th-in-education state.
Districts across our state are doing amazing things and making huge gains in the number of proficient students.
New Mexico has continued to set high expectations for student achievement and teacher accountability; although highly contested, these are strong and solid initiatives. By New Mexico staying the course and testing students with PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers), teachers are able to see the proficiency of students steadily rise because we are becoming more knowledgeable in our content areas. I know the level that I must teach my students to ensure they are ready for the next year’s content; that has nothing to do with teaching to the test, as I simply teach to my students’ needs and the standards. These tests assess the current abilities of my students, and if I do my part to make learning engaging, maintain high rigor and hit the standards, they will ultimately be successful.
New Mexico is ahead of the curve in many educational practices that directly correlate to NAEP results. Many districts across the state are doing work to close the gap on student learning and expectations. The emphasis must be to encourage students to show what they know.
The utilization of NAEP sets a bar that is high; I want my students to reach for the top. As tomorrow’s leaders, we should hold out hope that students are performing at a high level ready to go into any field they choose. This is the one test that truly compares apples to apples in relation to the questions asked and skills assessed.
As teachers we must do our part to stop complaining about the number of tests students are given; life is full of tests; LIFE is a test. In order to obtain many jobs, get a driver’s license, be accepted into colleges, assessments are a must. We are ensuring that we as educators are doing our job, which is to prepare our state’s children for the future. To complain about assessments or the amount of time assessments take is simply taking away from looking for ways to encourage thinking and learning and taking on the challenge of improving. In the grand scheme of time with our students, it’s valuable to both teach strong and assess well.
New Mexico educators and students have a lot to prove; NAEP is our chance to do so. We owe it to our students to encourage them and know that as educators, New Mexico’s kids are counting on us to push them to be No. 1.