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Expectations for students must stay high

We always agree that parents should be very involved in key decisions regarding their

children’s education — especially those as important as retaining a child in the same

grade.

Still, all students, no matter what age, should be held to certain age-appropriate standards. That must not be forgotten as lawmakers in Columbus consider changing some rules on state standardized testing for third graders.

The Ohio Education Association last week urged the Ohio Senate to pass a bill that would eliminate a requirement that third graders be held back a grade if they do not hit a certain score on a standardized reading test.

In testimony, including comments from a Mahoning County teacher, educators argued state testing is a one-size-fits-all approach, and that data shows it does not benefit students and has not been an effective approach to raising reading scores.

One teacher from Campbell School District in Mahoning County argued that retaining a third-grader is devastating to a child’s self-esteem. She compared it to wearing a scarlet letter around school.

Since 2014, third-grade students have taken a standardized test each spring, and the score they get determines whether they will continue to fourth grade or be retained in third grade. House Bill 497 would change that, requiring students still to take the test, but parents would work with their child’s teacher to decide if retention is best for that student. The legislation has been approved by the Ohio House, but not the Ohio Senate.

Since the mandatory retention policy began in Ohio, Ohio State Board of Education member Christina Collins said an average of 3,628 students are retained per year. Of those, only 8 percent hit a proficient mark in reading in fourth grade.

She also said this policy disproportionately affects minority and disadvantaged students. Of those students who are retained each

year, 48 percent are black, 31 percent are white and 92 percent are economically

disadvantaged.

“In the business world, such minimal return on investment would be considered a failure,” Collins said.

That’s true. But from our vantage point, the more important question is not whether these students should be held back in the third grade, but why are so many failing the test,

and what can be done to improve their performance?

We fear without serious repercussions, less and less value will be placed on the results of state testing. Frankly, moving the goal posts is not the correct answer when it comes to educating our children.

Let’s face it, in life, performance always is measured. If students aren’t measuring up — even at such an early age — pushing them along to the next grade would do little to prepare them for more arduous work in the future. Doing that certainly would only set them up to fail down the road. Too often, we fall short of maintaining a high bar for our children to surpass in their studies.

We firmly believe if expectations are high, children will meet them.

So, if educators and some lawmakers believe that the consequences being imposed on children who fail to perform at the state minimum level on the third grade standardized tests are too harsh, what, then, will motivate or trigger improved performance?

We might concede that holding kids back a year may not be the only answer, and indeed, we agree parents must be involved in that very important conversation. But until we

find a better answer to this serious problem, how else can we ensure these underperforming students are ready to move on to fourth

grade?

Before we make changes to state law, we

believe that’s the question we must

answer first.

editorial@vindy.com

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