Standardized testing in the Tucson Unified School District will be reduced by half for grades 2 through 8 and by one-third for high school students after the Governing Board and the educators’ union — the Tucson Education Association — reached an agreement last week.
A memorandum of understanding between the groups says they agree that second- through eighth-grade students will take three iReady (math and reading) diagnostic tests per year as mandated by the state and high schoolers will take two ACT mimic (practice) tests rather than three.
For the 40,000 students in Southern Arizona’s largest school district, fewer tests means less stress, more teaching days, and more focused learning, teachers say.
Educators will gain nine more days of instruction in younger grades and have more time for instruction, depth, and meaningful learning. The months-long campaign by the education association and collaborators including parents was a grassroots effort over more than a year that has paid off, said Tucson High math teacher Finlay Parsons.
“Teaching to the test … encourages bad teaching. We know that good teachers will explore a topic and tackle it from all angles and go deep as opposed to shallow and broad,” he said. “We are also really excited to take some of the stress off educators and allow them some breathing space.”
The group was motivated to generate additional instruction time for educators, alleviate student and teacher test stress and continue the assessment task force, which helped reduce the testing and could now work toward improving more holistic testing models, Parsons said.
“We are celebrating this win and it could not come at a better time,” Tucson Education Association President Jim Byrne said. “We want control over what assessments we do give and this takes more things off people’s plates immediately this year.”
The testing policy starts Monday and is a model for others, says Harry Feder, executive director of FairTest, an East Coast group working to end misuse and flaws in standardized testing.
“We latch onto test scores as the be-all and end-all. While these tests can tell you some basic things, they don’t really push kids to think critically and they don’t test important skills for modern times like communication and collaboration,” Feder told Arizona Luminaria.
“[TUSD] recognizes that our kids take way too many tests. More testing does not produce better education or greater student achievement.”
TUSD Governing Board President Jennifer Eckstrom said as a parent, she felt there were too many standardized tests and when she was exposed to the test reduction plan about a year ago, it made sense.
“We are a district who is ever-evolving and we need to make sure we are doing right by our teachers and students,” she said. “We needed to look at how things are done and start changing. Just because it was done years ago, does not mean we should be doing it now.
Eckstrom said for younger students, the new policy means they won’t be constantly stressed by being tested on things they haven’t learned yet. “And for middle and high school students, it relieves some of that pressure,” she said.
Part pep-rally, part school board meeting at Sunnyside
Yellow and purple leis, Desert View Jaguar and Sunnyside Blue Devil mascots along with a rainbow of pom-poms held by tiny cheerleaders all gathered in a packed Sunnyside High School gym last week.
The Sunnyside Unified School District had a party for about 1,500 teachers and staff, with awards, a sound-off competition and finally a five-point plan for success this school year, which begins July 31.
Sunnyside Superintendent Jose Gastelum rallied the crowd with his 1992 Blue Devils’ letterman jacket on display as he told them: “Lead what matters.”
The slides on two screens showcased Sunnyside’s plan to focus on student success by believing in each students’ potential, cultivating identity, purpose and agency.
Capturing the chaos with a camera was Angel Gonzalez, who shot the event for his Sunnyside High yearbook class.
“I want to collect all the memories for my senior year and this is a good way to start,” he said. “This year, I want to pass my [JTED] welding class and have fun.”
Three things to know about Tucson High’s new student body president …
As she preps for her student body presidency at Arizona’s oldest high school, Tucson High’s Paisley Goffeney read mysteries and traveled the West this summer.
A triplet, Paisley turned 18 in July along with fellow Tucson High seniors Cooper and Ellie. She will lead about 3,200 students when school begins next week.
“I’m a pretty quiet and introverted kid so I really am passionate about people in leadership positions and making sure that they share and give a voice to those who are in the background,” she said. “Joining student council is a way for me to create that environment in different areas.”
Here are three things to know about Paisley:
1. In her downtime, she’s a detective — for fun. “The Inheritance Games” is a Paisley fave this summer. The mystery series of five books by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is “just a great series. It’s got some mystery in it, so I like to use my brain and think about it. … I actually have been recently appreciating a good audiobook. I mean obviously a physical book is my go-to, but if I’m in the car, then yeah sure, I’ll do an audiobook.”
2. She aims to be a school counselor. A theater kid who gravitates toward English, Paisley says she’s “leaning toward” studying education and psychology to become an elementary school counselor while looking at colleges this fall.
3. Boosting morale, kindness and communication are on tap. Paisley’s goal for Tucson High this school year is to keep students informed. Her hope for all Tucsonans is to be aware of what’s going on around us. “It’s about just keeping our eyes open. I think what’s really important to specifically my friends and my generation is just not letting people hide and ignore important issues in our world. Stay involved and aware of what’s going on around you. There is a way to do this. It’s honestly with just kindness and respect.”
Read more …
🍎 Free food: Each of the 40,000 students in the Tucson Unified School District has access to free breakfast and lunch this school year at 87 campuses throughout Tucson. Find menus here. No application is required. Email foodservices@tusd1.org with questions.
🐴 Equine therapy works: Deep breathing can help both students and the horse as children with disabilities learn from horses in San Tan Valley.
📣 Education tips wanted: Are you a student, parent, teacher, or administrator? Tell us what matters to you.
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