Oceanside, Island Park Letters to the Editor

I’d opt out

To the Editor:

In his column last week, “To opt out or not: That is the question,” Dr. Steve Kussin gave a fair presentation of both sides of this argument, as parents decide whether to say yes or no to their children taking high-stakes state exams. I think everyone would agree that the best thing to come out of this controversy is that parents have become involved to a greater degree than ever before.

I do think Dr. Kussin missed some points that are extremely important. Almost all standardized tests — the PSAT, the SAT, the ACT, the LSAT, etc. — are routinely published in full so that parents, teachers and students can practice on actual exams. Why is it that these assessments are the only ones that don’t give us all the ability to examine them and determine whether they’re valid exams?

There isn’t one educator who hasn’t publicly stated that these are deeply flawed tests. Noted educator Dr. Diane Ravitch, once an advocate of them (as well as charter schools), now argues strongly against both.

Another problem with these exams — perhaps the most disturbing one — is the way they’re marked and graded. Once the tests are completed, they’re sent to the State Education Department to be marked. Only after they’re marked do the department bureaucrats decide what the passing grade will be. If they want to show student progress, they can lower the passing mark. If they want to show we still aren’t doing the job, they can raise it. The Education Department is scamming the public with this dishonest assessment of students abilities.

Every teacher, parent and student should know before the exam starts the value of each question and the passing mark. Until that time, I would opt out.

Sheldon Wald

Oceanside