This morning Mr. Tyner posted an article on RealClearEducation.com surveying the use and value of End-of-Course assessments in public schools. His comments are well-informed from his research as a fellow at the Fordham Institute, however I think he misses the point in one key way. First, though, Mr. Tyner references the testing situation in Mississippi public high schools twice in his work. His opening paragraph references the current public comment period on eliminating the US History end-of-course (EoC) test. I personally do not know what the outcome of the elimination discussion will be. Teachers were polled in an official Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) survey all over the state, and the response was overwhelmingly in favor of removing the test from the student’s graduation expectations. I must also point out that Mr. Tyner is factually incorrect about the testing situation in Mississippi. He comments, “In [Mississippi], despite the state requiring ...
Growing Nowhere: A Response to Kevin P. Chavous By Brock A. Ratcliff, Clinton Public Schools, Clinton, MS I believe in schools, especially the public schools in Mississippi. Although the Magnolia State has historically lagged behind in educational achievement compared to the rest of the nation, there is excellent teaching and learning happening here. Recent NAEP scores demonstrate Mississippi students’ great strides in catching up to the children of other states in math and reading. Teachers in my state begin and end each lesson with hope, the one indispensable school supply we have. Mississippi has an accountability model that is similar to the one imagined by Mr. Chavous in his recent article on RealClearEducation.com. [1] His succinct argument is sound and is certainly motivated by a deep concern for the well-being of students. He points out that students of diverse economic backgrounds and learning styles require “individualized evaluation and assistance...