State Testing That Makes Sense

by David Safier

I’m no fan of Arizona’s AIMS testing or the whole No Child Left Behind emphasis on standardized testing.

But I ran across an article about state testing of high school students who are taking vocational courses, and that’s standardized testing I can support.

You’ve probably read that Arizona is working to revitalize its vocational/technology education programs so more students can pick up specific, marketable skills in high school and be ready to enter the workforce somewhere higher than the fast food level. It’s a great idea if it’s done right, and everything I’ve seen tells me that Arizona is doing this intelligently.

(See? I can say nice things about Arizona education. Even if this idea comes right out of Tom Horne’s office, I’ll give him credit if credit is due. Didn’t think I could do that, did you?)

The state is preparing a series of online tests for students who take the vocational classes. A student who passes the test earns a state credential certifying competency in the field. Those who don’t pass the test can still get credit for the class, but no credential.

I like that. “License” high school students who have demonstrated competence in a voc/tech field. Let them show the certificate to a prospective employer who will know these folks took the course and learned the subject matter.

Back in the 70s, I went to a talk by John Holt, a radical educator. He spoke about how he didn’t like tests in school at all. Not just standardized tests. Any kind of student tests. He didn’t like most classrooms either. He wanted free, open, student-centered schools. But then he said, “You know, I’m all for driving tests. As a matter of fact, they should be much harder than they are. I don’t want anyone moving tons of steel down the highway at 80 miles an hour who doesn’t know how to keep that thing under control.”

I’m not a radical educator like Holt, but I make the same distinction between AIMS testing and tests to determine if someone, say, knows enough to fix my car. The AIMS test is destructive to good education while a vocational skills test is a way of indicating that someone is prepared to perform a certain job with a degree of competence. That’s good for education and for the workplace.