High+Standards

ISSUE: What is the Relationship Between Standards and Educators?

I. Description of Problem or Issue
Lead Editor: Danielle Santagata //Describe your issue. Include definitions of key terms, why issue is important in educational reform, how this issue is addressed/used in the RI Strategic Plan, and what are current efforts and/or trends in schools related to your issue.//

Our group's issue revolved around the relationship between standards and educators. By "standards" we mean the knowledge and skills students should possess at critical points in their educational career, this is generally set by the state. Standards are set into place in order to change education for the better. This issue is especially important in educational reform because it addresses how standards help to evaluate not only students but teachers as well. It helps to judge teacher effectiveness based on the standards and if they do in fact help improve student achievement. Without this issue, it would be difficult to ascertain how education could be improved. The RI Strategic Plan plans on aligning Rhode Island's standards with the National Common Core Standards in reading, writing, and mathematics. The objectives and strategies represent the key actions for designing a world‐class standards and assessment system that prepares all Rhode Island students for global competitiveness. This work specifically will lead to the re‐examination of the state's standards as well as to the design of comprehensive state and local assessment systems that ensure Rhode Island is educating their students to meet international benchmarks.

The RI Strategic Plan addresses 3 objectives: Adopt World-Class Standards, Implement High-Quality State Assessments, and Monitor Local Assessments. According to the plan, the goals they hope to achieve are based off each objective. By 2012 all LEAs (local educational agencies) will have implemented a guaranteed and viable curriculum in reading, writing, mathematics, and science that can be easily accessed by the community. By 2015 all they will also have at least two pathways for students to reach proficiency against internationally benchmarked standards. A state assessment system that is aligned to the National Common Core Standards in the state will have be implemented by 2012. Also, by 2015 all LEA high schools will ensure that students are able to reach proficiency against internationally benchmarked standards through multiple pathways. Not only that, but when it comes to enforcing the internationally benchmarked standards, all LEAs will have a comprehensive PK‐12 assessment system in reading, writing, mathematics, and science that includes both formative and interim assessments aligned to curriculum and internationally benchmarked standards by 2012. By 2015 they will have also have student grading and progress reporting systems aligned to internationally benchmarked standards in reading, writing, mathematics, and science.

II. Relevance of Problem or Issue in Rhode Island Schools
Lead Editor: Tiffany McClay //Describe the relevance of your issue in Rhode Island by (1) describing how its effects are evident in the districts that were studied earlier in the course and (2) how it is being addressed through Rhode Island's Strategic Plan or its RTTT program.//

Our group's issue is that of standards, especially national or federal standards. All Rhode Island schools have standards. When the standards for each school are not met then the school is considered failing. There are a number of schools either failing or on the verge of failing in Rhode Island. Those doing okay are still struggling to meet the standards. One of the goals of the Rhode Island Strategic Plan is to "Establish World-Class Standards and Assessments." This includes high standards for all students to meet, which is near impossible. Standards is the title of the second goal in the Rhode Island Strategic Plan, so it is a very prevalant topic in the state and in education at this time.

III. Research Summary
Lead Editor: Alex, Tiffany, Jacob, and Danielle

//Danielle's Research Summary:// My research focused on if standards actually improve student achievement. There are good arguments both for and against this topic, but overall, I would have to say the new curriculum standards are not that affective at improving student achievement. From my research, I learned the main way to measure achievement is through standardized testing. The standards are mainly being aimed at increasing test scores and not only do the standards drastically increase state expenditures, but they also create teacher anxiety, which in turn effects the way teachers educate their students. For the most part, because teachers are so worried about how well their students will score on the tests, they tend to use the tests as guidelines/goals rather than teaching information that may be important to their classes. They also have relatively little flexibility when teaching. I understand the importance of seeing how well the students, teachers, and administrators are improving, but there are better ways to judge that than by using high-stakes testing. Overly-specific standards can prevent teachers from responding to the needs of their students. Standardized-tests are ineffective at measuring student achievement because they set standards that not everyone can reach. Everyone learns differently and at different rates, so to create tests that gauge "the average student's achievement" is not effective. You cannot assume that every student will be able to do the same thing. Formative assessments are better able to assess student achievement because they are used by both teachers and students to give feedback to modify teaching and learning. The assessments judge individual performance and the teacher has the ability to identify the areas and strategies that may need improvement to better help their students.

//Alex's Research Summary:// My research brought up a lot of different methods by which teachers are being evaluated. It also presented me with what is happening because of these evaluations. In some cases, schools are considering switching to a merit pay system which would reward the "successful" teachers with a higher salary and punish those who are not as successful with a lower salary. Alternative forms of teacher evaluation were also brought up, but for each suggestion there are pros and cons. Based on my research, there is no truly right way to evaluate teachers. As of right now, there are many ideas out there as to how teachers should be evaluated, I just hope that an effective and valid method can be reached so that teachers who are successful and passionate about educating the youth can become model teachers that less successful teachers can base their teaching methods of off.

//Tiffany's Research Summary:// My research discussed what standards are and why they are there. According to what I found they are instituted with a positive goal in mind, or for good reason. Unfortunately standards end up being very negative. Teachers and students alike all find them to get in the way of real learning. In general and overall the goal of the standards is to improve American schools so they can compete globally. The controversy lies in how the standards are enforced and followed. In addition, No Child Left Behind was discussed frequently in my research.

//Jacob's Research Summary:// My research focused on the effect standards have on teachers and standardized test scores. A fair amount of my research proved to be slightly out of date, but the end result is a spectrum of opinion ranging from right after the implementation of standards, to today, well after they have been in effect and a time were their effects are being seen and felt. The overall impression I received was predominately negative, in regards to their results. While they were initially regarded as a way to even all schools and judge progress of all students, they have proven to be a bane to teachers and students alike, with nothing but a poor reflection on schools and school systems to really show for it. Most teacher feel that without standards poking into every class and every activity, they would better be able to do their jobs. Politically, the standards haven't accomplished much of anything beyond wasting money. Overall, standards are not the answer to improving teachers.

IV. Group Product Overview
Introduction: What is our topic? Why is controversial?~Split into groups~Question 1) Why are standards created?->Each group formulates a reason, presents suspected reason.->We mediate class discussion-> Present Research and ConclusionQuestion 2) How are teachers evaluated by the standards? ->Each group formulates a reason, presents suspected reason. ->We mediate class discussion -> Present Research and ConclusionQuestion 3) Do standards improve student achievement? ->Each group formulates a reason, presents suspected reason. ->We mediate class discussion -> Present Research and ConclusionQuestion 4) Do standards make better teachers? ->Each group formulates a reason, presents suspected reason. ->We mediate class discussion -> Present Research and Conclusion

If extra time: Word Search

VI. Research Questions and Reference Summaries

 * || **Research Question** || **Researcher** ||
 * 1. || Do standards really improve student achievement? || Danielle ||
 * 2. || How are teachers evaluated by the standards? || Alex ||
 * 3. || Why are the standards created? || Tiffany ||
 * 4. || Do the standards make better teachers? || Jacob ||

VII. Group Reaction/Opinion(s) about Issue
Lead Editor: Alex, Tiffany, Danielle, Jacob //Now that you've researched your issue, discuss your results and write two (or more) paragraphs expressing your opinions. The first paragraph should explain the majority opinion. The following paragraph should summarize other opinions held by team members about the issue.//

//Danielle's Reaction:// After researching, I learned whether standards actually improve student achievement or hinder it. Student achievement today is typically based on how well or how poorly students do on standardized tests. In my opinion, this is not an effective way to determine if students are improving. If teachers spent time each day in their efforts to translate ideas and standards into lived practice, student achievement would rise. National standards don't really offer much room for teachers to work individually with students on things that are important to them. The standards have become more of a demand on the teachers and less as guides for them to teach by. It is tough to discern if a school's students are improving because no two students are the same. I know it's useful for teachers to have a broad understanding of children's development and a set of skills appropriate to that development, and by using formative assessments student achievement could assist in this understanding. This will help determine if everyone is succeeding. Overall, standard-based reform is far from perfect and continues to require attention and improvement in its delivery, but they also continue to provide the best hope for students to reach their full potentials.

//Alex's Reaction:// The fact that teachers have been evaluated on different standards and there is no nation wide evaluation system to measure teacher effectiveness and success makes me think the whole evaluation system is not reputable. There is no standardization to these evaluations, no consideration of the external factors that affect both student and teacher success. I do not think that the teacher evaluation will ever be “right” or inclusive of every aspect that would be measured in order to determine if a teacher is successful or not. In my personal opinion, I think that student assessments should be included, but at a higher level of education. For example, I have already filled out a few teacher evaluations at the University and I even had a few to do while I was in high school. I would think that these evaluations would not be as useful in getting accurate evaluations of educators in younger levels.

//Tiffany's Reaction:// After reading all four of my research articles I learned some about what standards really are and why people find them so controversial. Standards in general are not negative. They are meant to help and guide people in a task, so everyone will meet a certain expectaion. National standards especially education stadards are the highlight of the controversy. The articles explained some of the controversy, such as the government does not fund schools enough to controll them. Traditionally each district decided how to run the schools. National standards are not a bad idea. They would help America get back to the top of world education. The problem is how the government is trying to institute and test the standards. All of the articles agree in some degree that No Child Left Behind had good intentions but a poor execution. Most of my research comfirmed the thoughts I already had.