Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley wants to improve the quality of high school - and of a high school diploma - in Maryland. The State Board of Education concurs and has set a 2009 date for implementing state-wide tests that would be a requirement for graduation.
Now, four of the governor's appointees to the Board are seeking to delay the implementation of that testing. If he is serious about making a Maryland high school diploma meaningful, what should Gov. O'Malley do to demontrate his seriousness to education and business leaders, parents and the students who are the intended beneficiaries of the new academic standards?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/10/AR2007111001305.html
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If he is serious about making a Maryland high school diploma meaningful, Gov. O'Malley should make a public statement either condemning the delay in test implementation or present a clear reason why he believes the delay is necessary. The Governor's biggest mistake thus far is that he has not been clear about his specific vision for improving Maryland's academic standards.
To be clear, this article is an editorial, and only seeks to present a critical portrait of the potential delay, with the ultimate goal of pressuring Gov. O'Malley into implementing testing according to the current schedule. It mentions the concern that the new academic standards bring up questions of "equity and fairness" - particularly that the traditional gap in preparation for standardized tests between predominantly white and predominantly minority schools would inherently affect minority students more severely. Yet the author easily dismisses this very real concern.
I imagine that the potential for large-scale failure among students from predominantly minority schools is one which Gov. O'Malley would like to avoid at all costs. If a delay will allow for greater preparation for these tests, then I cannot agree with the author's condemnation of the Governor.
While I believe Gov. O'Malley is at fault, he has only failed in presenting a well-defined vision for improving Maryland's academic and competitive standards. Until he does so, I cannot fully support or condemn the plan.
While I think it would be easy to say that the Governor should speak out against those who voted against the assessments, I believe the Governor may be at fault himself.
It seems to me that the Governor has not been forthright in what his goals are for education reform. It reminds me of the Metro fare-hike case where the principal lacked the leadership to bring the necessary stakeholders with him in bringing about change.
The author of the editorial is right, the Governor needs to properly appoint the Board member and use the bully-pulpit of his office to properly set the tone. However, the Governor also has to use his leadership skills to bring the necessary stakeholders together and sell his vision for education reform.
The message has to be to business leaders that their future employees aren’t being properly trained, and thus the quality of their workforce is in question. The message to parents is that their children are graduating from high school at a disadvantage to other students across the country who will have a leg up when it comes to succeeding in college, and thus succeeding in their futures.
The school board needs to be fully informed by the Governor of what his vision education reform is. They need to be told of long and short term goals, and what he expects of them. If they continue to oppose his reforms after an aggressive campaign to inform stakeholders, then he needs to simply remind them that he has the power of appointment.
Based on the information in this editorial, Gov O’Malley has failed to express the importance and value of his testing standards. If he was really serious about implanting these changes, he would be using the bully pulpit and the power of appointment as the editorial suggests. Instead, the decision of his appointees to turn against him brings into question the quality of his test standards and to an extent the appointees.
This is bound to make parents, educators, and business leaders question his decision and his commitment to education, particularly considering Gov. O’Malley’s slow response so far. If the governor is serious about these testing standards he needs to make it clear to everyone that watering down the standards to improve the numbers is unacceptable.
If the board is concerned about the effects tests will have minority graduation rates, the answer probably isn’t in a test. Perhaps the governor and the board need to consider more options that focus on improved schools, better teacher training, and teach accountability. It seems like the governor’s plan is short on substance and even the governor is struggling with his decision to back it.
While the goal of giving every student a "meaningful diploma" is admirable, there could be serious risks in moving forward with implementing the High School Assessment Exams this year. Studies have shown instances of test bias--where minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged students tend to preform worse than their white and more affluent counterparts on standardized tests. Before Maryland rushes into such a program, it should be properly vetted to ensure fair treatment of all students.
I sort of have a unique perspective on this issue. Part of my job is developing a high school voting curriculum for students in Montgomery County and Prince George's County, Maryland. As I've worked with principals, teachers and students in developing this program, I've noticed real disparities from school to school and neighborhood to neighborhood. These aren't statistics, they're real kids. And don't think that those students from poorer schools haven't noticed newer facilities, newer books and better qualified teachers at the more economically advantaged schools.
Sure, I agree that the governor has to do something to ensure that a high school diploma "means something," but a one-size-fits all solution and another standardized test may not be the answer. The real answer is to give teachers more flexibility in the classroom, give them a chance to be creative and connect with students--as opposed to teaching rote lessons for an exam. Another solution is to increase salaries for teachers and pay off teacher's student loans so the most qualified people go into teaching instead of business or law school.
Testing may be a great way to measure success, but it's an awful way to teach.
For Gov. O'Malley to demonstrate his seriousness regarding education and the new academic standards, he needs to figure out what constitutes "success" in the eye of the government, business leaders, parents and students.
I think his first course of action should be to hold roundtable discussions across the state. By meeting with the local community and bringing the appropriate stakeholders to the table, O'Malley will allow his constituents to address their concerns and work towards a consensus.
Education may be one of the few issues that affects the entire community. It is vital that all voices are heard. By garnering public support behind his objective, O'Malley will be able to persuade the board.
The issue of education at the state level is part of the meat and potatoes and that drives the political environment. If Governor O'Malley does not act pro actively here then he is in danger of losing absolute control over the issue in his state, he has to act aggressively and quickly in order to show he cares about it. At the state level is can become very easy for a governor to become second to the legislature. The local news reports more about these issues and legislators, board members, teachers and other stakeholders can easily appear on the news as well. This can quickly create the attention to politicize the issue of education from its formulative phase. If the Governor is remotely serious then he would push for these tests to be taken seriously. The long term consequences of allowing students are not adequately educated to graduate and enter the work force would be devastating to the economy and would limit their ability to succeed and advance economically. These students are already on the bubble of being disadvantage; the state owes them a minimal set of standards. The governor should push for members of this board who will fight for rigorous standards and who will push for truly educating these students. It would be a good move in the eyes of the public and it would also be the right thing to do for these students. This is only part of looking like you are serious about improving public education. The Governor should institute major reforms in Maryland schools, if the status quo is not working then someone is to blame. It is evident that the school leadership is failing to take any initiative. The Governor should add board members who ordinary parents who will fight for the best interests of the students.
The Governor should be used to an education establishment that drags its feet. After all, he was the Mayor of Baltimore City - home to some of the worst schools in the country.
All of the comments so far make a good point. What I question is the Governor's committment to bucking the party line and the powerful interest groups that oppose his plan.
I worked for two years at an organization that wrote first class academic standards for cities and states throughout the country. And state education leaders had the right idea in making Maryland's diploma mean something.
There can and should be a deeper discussion about this issue, the players involved, and in the end, what it means for the students of the state (not to mention business leaders and the economy).
Will the Governor stand up for the kids who this policy is trying to help, or will he stand w/ the interest groups who he's afraid to offend? Standing back and hoping everything works out isn't decisive leadership, and decisive leadership is what is needed on this issue.
As I said, all of the strategies my peers recommend are good. But is the Governor going, or even willing to, stand up here?
He hasn't so far. And I don't know if he will anytime in the near future.
To demonstrate leadership and a serious approach to education, Governor O'Malley should make it clear to the Board that he will work to ensure that minority students and others typically disadvantaged from standardized tests will not be adversely affected in this process. He needs to provide details to the Board to alleviate their concerns in this regard. He should set up a non-partisan evaluation board to examine the standardized tests to make it clear that he wants a fair process. While the Board members who are seeking a delay to the test implementation may be displeased, his efforts to examine the tests should help them and the community understand that he wants to create a balanced process.
If I remove my personal opinions about his plan from the equation, I would say that he needs to stand up for this program. If he wants this program to pass for the sake of the education system of Maryland, Gov. O'Malley needs to tell everyone clearly why this is the best option. Provided of course that it is the best option. If he cannot stand up and defend it, then the battle is not worth being fought. The public school system is not something to be taken lightly.
As usual, I am going to inteject my personal opinions about standardized testing. Standardized testing needs a major restructuring. Not only is there bias between race and gender, but there are biases that can't be accounted for in a box checked on a college application. I've seen bright, intelligent, hard-working students struggle to receive less than stellar grades because of the testing procedures in place. You won't find a bigger proponent of changing the education system of the US than myself. And I have no complaints about the education that I received. But what about students who struggle with dyslexia, or ADD? Not all students are alike, we can see that just in the small group of us in this class. And how far removed are we from the public school system? If it seems as though this strikes a personal chord with me, that is absolutely true. It does. Like I said, I have seen students work harder than most, only to fail. And this undercuts the life lesson parents try to teach their children. Work hard and you will succeed. Students need to receive an education that we don't simply deem as good. Their education needs to be better, and better, and better. Having teachers teach to a test only hinders students abilities to succeed later. Imagine working for 13 years to receive that high school diploma, having a bad test day, and finding out that you weren't going to graduate because you missed one too many questions. Devastating.
All this to say, I do not agree at all with Gov. O'Malley's proposed plan, but in the interest in issues management, he needs to impress to the Board that HE believes it is going to work before he can convince anyone else that it is going to.
I have always hated this debate. Why the hell can't everyone grow a pair and do the responsible thing. Ok thats my little rant.
Now for Gov. O'Malley: It's great that he wants to making a Maryland diploma worth something, but he needs to set out solid goals.
His first goal should be to make strong public statements that he will not accept any decision by the Board to delay implementing the testing requirements for graduating.
The second is to announce that he is creating a new, state wide after school program to make sure that when the testing requirement is instituted not a single high school senior will fail.
Third, he needs to talk with Nancy Grasmick, and convince her that she should not step aside, and if necessary bring her in on who he should appoint to the Board next year to make sure the plans are not watered down.
Unfortunately, I think Charlie's assessment of the Gov's gumption.
This situation is political dynamite for Governor O'Malley. He must appease his base and also make certain this policy moves forward.
The Governor needs to take a firm stand on this issue. He cannot allow any delays or impediments to the implementation of the new policy on high school assessments. O'Malley must also make it clear that he was elected by all the people of Maryland to set public policy and the political agenda, not education bureacrats and not political appointees.
The Governor needs to work to establish a short term compromise that will satisfy all stakeholders and also establish a long term plan and stick to it. O'Malley really needs to sell this plan to all stakeholders, get them to take ownership of this issue so that it can succeed.
The really sad point about this issue is that the state and local education officials have failed in their responsibility to provide a quality education to students.
The combination of firm leadership on the part of the Governor and seeking to engage all stakeholders should make this work.
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