Giving students a break

State Rep. Miller calls for hiatus on standardized testing

After a year of the novel coronavirus pandemic and its effects on schools, Ohio students should not have to complete standardized tests that measure classroom progress, said Rep. Joe Miller.

Meanwhile, state regulators should audit the Ohio school districts in the state’s academic distress category, said Miller, D-Amherst, whose 56th district includes Lorain and other communities.

Miller is a member of the Ohio House’s Primary and Secondary Education Committee, which this week held a hearing on legislation that would exempt Ohio schools from administering the tests.

Skipping a year is needed due to effects of COVID-19 and disruptions as schools adapted online and in-person learning, according to the legislation.

The U.S. Department of Education has ruled school districts should have flexibility to administer the tests — but must not eliminate them entirely.

Miller, who is an educator, said he has joined with lawmakers asking the administration of President Joe Biden to halt the tests for the 2020-2021 school year, which was affected by the pandemic.

This week, Miller put out a call to action and asked constituents to join in voicing their support for a hiatus on standardized tests for students this year.

“Last March, when our schools shut down, we did not know how long they’d remain that way,” Miller said in a constituent email this week. “Eventually, most reopened in some capacity with everyone’s current goal to come back safely and in person.

“But, in the midst of the politics and chaos, our kids have suffered educationally, mentally and physically. They should not have to face standardized testing in 2021 after being in and out of school for over a year. It is not fair and is not an accurate measure of their achievement.”

Audit for academic distress

This month, Miller and Rep. Michele LeporeHagan, D-Youngstown, also reintroduced legislation that would require onetime performance audits of school districts with a current Academic Distress Commission.

That is the state-appointed board that oversees operations in struggling school districts rated in “academic distress” by the Ohio Department of Education.

“This model of a district CEO and Academic Distress Commission with absolute power and no accountability has created an easy pathway for corruption,” Miller said. “We owe it to our teachers, parents and taxpayers across the state to get to the bottom of this issue and determine once and for all if the state takeover plan that put in place ADCs has been an abject failure and should be repealed.

“A performance audit by the Ohio Auditor will bring us closer to this answer.”

Lorain, Youngstown and East Cleveland Schools are the three Ohio school districts currently with the state-appointed oversight due.

Lepore-Hagan said the commissions and appointed CEO’s are unelected and unaccountable, with unilateral control over tens of millions of taxpayer dollars.

“The performance audits mandated by the bill will enable parents, teachers, residents, elected officials and the public at-large to evaluate whether those dollars are being used effectively,” she said. “Most importantly, we will be able to determine if our teachers and kids are receiving the resources and support they need to achieve and succeed.

“The time to impose transparency and scrutiny on this failed system has arrived.”

This legislation previously was introduced in the 133rd General Assembly and received one hearing in the House Primary & Secondary Education Committee.

“But, in the midst of the politics and chaos, our kids have suffered educationally, mentally and physically. They should not have to face standardized testing in 2021 after being in and out of school for over a year. It is not fair and is not an accurate measure of their achievement.” — State Rep. Joe Miller

Miller