26th April 2007

Thoughts on educational quality, test scores and the arts

posted in creativity, leadership |

I’m attending and presenting at the KSDE Conference in Wichita, Kansas again today. This morning the opening comments were shared by Dale Dennis, the Interim Commissioner of Education for the state of Kansas. Here are some of my notes from his commentary:

Kansas education has never been better.

Our graduation rate is around 90%.

Our teachers are working harder than ever, and our students are doing better than ever. In the business world you’d say that’s as good as you can get.

I wish we could figure out some way to reward the great people in the classroom more than we are.

The stress levels in our classrooms has never been higher.

Never underestimate the power of your actions. One small gesture has the potential to change someone’s life.

END OF NOTES, START OF MY COMMENTS

It is not unusual to hear someone in political office proclaim “things have never been better.” I question that assertion in the context of education, however, not just here in Kansas but elsewhere in these great United States of ours.

Mr. Dennis cited NAEP test scores as evidence of how great education is doing in Kansas. He is well-informed to use NAEP rather than state-level test scores to compare the performance of students, since it is nationally administered and isn’t something school districts prepare for directly like they prepare for their own state assessments.

Now we are hearing an introduction to an arts performance group out of Kansas City, which is going to preform a short skit for everyone before our general session with Dr. Lorraine Monroe begins. The lady introducing the theater team has noted how their research shows that students in their arts program perform better on standardized assessments / tests than other students.

My immediate thought on the comments shared by both these individuals is: How sad that much of society seems to have bought the lie that educational quality can be defined just by test scores. Educational quality is much more complex than a test score. I understand the reasons everyone feels they need to justify what they do by citing test scores, but IMHO I don’t think anyone helping students develop their theatrical performance skills needs to share a justification about the arts helping test scores. Every child need to learn to love the arts, experience the arts, and live the arts via their own creative expression.

It was a bit of cognitive dissonance to focus at the state public school’s conference on the work of an arts group that, by the lead teacher’s introduction, is entirely grant funded. Still, it was a GREAT intro, and the high school kids did SUPER.

We need to have more theater performance opportunities in our schools, practiced during the regular school day, funded by regular education funds.

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There are currently 3 responses to “Thoughts on educational quality, test scores and the arts”

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  1. 1 On April 26th, 2007, Mrs. Durff said:

    Let’s hear it for the arts and developing 21st century skills during live productions!!

  2. 2 On April 26th, 2007, Jeff said:

    Great to have you here in Wichita, Wes, though I won’t have the good fortune of being able to hear you speak.

    I agree we have become so test score oriented in this country that we can’t seem to take those blinders off for anything else. That is part of the reason why I’m struggling with my role in the “machine” as a data person for a Kansas school - I feel like I’m a cog in the machine of what is wrong with education - assessment and assessment numbers overkill.

    It is making me very unhappy with my job despite the fact that I work with great people. I think one of two things will happen for me - either I will get back into the classroom (preferably with my “first love” and formally trained area of music or my “second love” of technology) or I will get out of education completely.

    Public education is just increasingly becoming a political football, and anytime politics get involved typically the issues get watered down or shifted to the simpler and easier to understand items (like test scores and how much taxes are) and away from the more complex and harder to measure items (like developing higher order thinking skills, encouraging creativity and innovation, and realizing that education is an investment, not a cost).

    I am one frustrated camper right now, and am thankful that these venues allow a place to vent and recharge with inspiration and hope. Have a great visit to the ICT, Wes!

  3. 3 On April 27th, 2007, Olivia Morris said:

    So much talk about Multiple Intelligence and diverse learning styles, yet our schools are not equipped to offer more Theater Performance. I am not convinced that students of art programs get better grades on standardized tests because research shows that creative students are deep thinkers which make it difficult for them to pick one answer on a standardized tests sine they may see several possible correct answers to multiple choice questions. These students have shown to perform better on authentic performance based assessments. I agree with the comment that every child needs to learn to love the arts, experience the arts, and live the arts. However, this should be encouraged independently and not linked to tests scores. Tests scores don’t relate the whole story.