COLUMBUS — December 7, 2013 — Delegates at the Ohio Education Association Fall Representative Assembly reflected the widespread concern among educators that the state is relying too much on standardized testing in evaluating student and teacher performances when they overwhelmingly voted to urge Ohio’s education stakeholders to pursue other options. The delegates called upon advocates for children and families to join the OEA in developing research-informed practices that address the appropriate use of assessments, and de-emphasize massive standardized testing.
“OEA’s members care deeply about students and Ohio’s future and that means we expect students to stretch their learning potential,” OEA President Becky Higgins said. “This is why we support the high expectations of Ohio’s new learning standards, including the Common Core Standards, and why we believe that research-based assessments of student learning is a fundamental condition for effective education.”
President Higgins noted, however, that the Association’s commitments have run up against state and national mandates with short timelines that are congesting and confounding educators’ work with students and their families.
“Testing has proliferated beyond reason, displacing needed instructional time and channeling funds to testing companies and testing technologies,” she said. “Ohio seems to be seeking to standardize learning through more standardized testing, rather than seeking appropriate and effective ways to foster the academic growth of our students.”
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The Ohio Education Association (ohea.org) represents 121,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals in Ohio’s public schools, colleges and universities.
CONTACT: Michele Prater
614-227-3071; cell 614-378-0469, praterm@ohea.org
