At the Haddonfield Public Schools Board of Education meeting last Thursday, supervisor of curriculum Craig Ogelby gave a presentation on the district’s action plan for the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers assessment, as it is required by the state because HPS did not meet the 95 percent participation rate last year. The school district plans to educate students as well as parents on the importance of taking the PARCC test.
“This is a very serious situation, because this year the state has given the districts who didn’t meet the rate a bye. Commissioner David C. Hespe of the New Jersey State Department of Education was quoted recently saying, ‘This is not a no-harm, no-foul situation, and that districts who do not meet that 95 percent participation rate… we are not going to take that lightly.’ So we have created a participation plan and action steps we have taken,” Ogelby said.
In the state, schools are required to have at least 95 percent of all students take PARCC. Last year, 25 percent of students in the district who were able to take the test refused or had invalid test scores. Splitting up HPS by schools, the elementary schools met the 95 percent participation at each school. However, the middle school and the high school did not meet that, with highest being in 11th grade with 73 percent of students refusing or having invalid scores.
The high refusal rate at the upper levels was attributed to test fatigue, as high school students had the SAT/ACT tests as well as AP tests to worry about at the same time.
HPS created an action plan based on encouraging students to take the test and the importance of participation.
Reasons given for taking the PARCC included test results that are not valid are not indicators of overall student achievement and could affect the school district ratings, and low participation rates will also affect decisions needed to differentiate and personalize instruction for students.
“The validity of a test is really dependent upon all of the students taking that test,” Ogelby said.
Benefits and changes of PARCC this year include a consolidated testing window, April 4 through May 20, 90 minutes overall reductions to tests and fewer test units.
However, HPS received a letter a few days before the BOE meeting, saying it was selected to take part in a field test of PARCC, which will add a test for ELA grade levels. HPS is reaching out to other districts that are also taking the field test, and are contemplating sending a letter requesting not to take it.
“It’s ridiculous that we have to do it… we intend to push back on this… I’m not happy we have to participate in this field test. We did two years ago; the district is on a participation plan for low participation; why would you select that district to participate in a field test? It is no sense,” Assistant Superintendent Michael Wilson said.
As part of the action plan, the school district has planned to create a PARCC information website, which is up at parcchmhs.wordpress.com; send letters/emails to parents giving information on the PARCC assessment, the value of participating and the consequences of not participating; increase participation for students with significant disabilities by enrolling them to take the alternate DLM test; have discussions with school PAC committees and PTAs to describe the PARCC process and gain support to encourage student participation; have a PowerPoint on the district’s website to encourage participation and discuss the consequences of not taking the PARCC; and discuss with the faculty the expectations of a collective voice to emphasize the importance of participation and effort.
“It is important that students take the test with fidelity and not just click through it, and do their best,” Ogelby said.
Students who refuse to take the test will either be in a monitored environment where they are allowed to read or draw. They will not be allowed to work on homework or projects, and cannot use their cell phone.
“We really have to get to the students. The students need a sense of value on why they’re taking this test, as a requirement in terms of the school and understand the ramifications of this continual phenomenon that will not only affect them, but those after them… It adds value to our analysis process. (We’re planning on) educating the parents as well as the students so we don’t repeat what we had last year,” Superintendent Richard Perry said.
For more information, visit the district’s website at www.haddonfield.k12.nj.us or visit the HPS’s PARCC website at parcchmhs.wordpress.com.
In other news:
HPS will host an Open-Mic Community Discussion on all aspects of the bond referendum on Thursday, March 3 at 7 p.m. at the High School B Gym.
