DOE Progress Reports Resolution (11-07)

Mar 13, 2008 12:22 PM

Whereas, it is essential that the assessment and grading of students and schools be fair, complete, transparent and accurate, and seen as such, if the results are to be accepted by students and their families, by schools and by the public at large and if accountability is to play a role in, rather than be a substitute to, a viable public education system; and

Whereas, while it is important to give credit to high-need schools that show academic growth and improvement, this recognition should not come at the expense of schools that have an established track record of solid performance; and

Whereas, the process of assessment and grading generally, and “high stakes” promotion and graduation decisions in particular, must not be based exclusively or predominantly on the results of a single “snapshot” in time — the grade on a single standardized exam — which is often quite misleading; and

Whereas, the process of assessment and grading generally, and “high stakes” promotion and graduation decisions in particular, must be based on a full picture of a student’s and a school’s achievement and academic progress using a variety of quantitative and qualitative measures; and

Whereas, the concept behind the new School Progress Reports of the NYC Department of Education is a positive step forward, insofar as it:

• is based on measures beyond the results of “high stakes” standardized exams,
  such as the School Learning Environment Surveys and student attendance and graduation;
• examines student progress over time;
• considers the challenges of educating students who come to school with greater
  academic and social needs; and
• credits elementary and middle schools with successes in “closing the achievement gap;” and

Whereas, there remains substantive work to be done in improving the conceptual basis of the reports, as they

• place excessive weight on the results of standardized exams;
• fail to consider vital inputs into the quality of education such as lower class size
  over crowding and
  school safety;
• take inadequate account of a school’s provision of learning opportunities, such as access

to college level courses in high school, and take no account of the school’s provision

of classes in music, art, physical education and other subjects that are important to a

well-rounded education and required by state regulation;

• were designed to distribute school grades along a rigid curve rather than awarding them
  solely on the basis of the school’s performance, although it appears that the Department
  of Education did not fully adhere to this requirement;
• do not give full credit for all students with the highest needs; and
• were focused on annual ELA and Math test scores which, even if standardized test
  scores were perfect measures, are not readily translatable into a measure of progress at
  the secondary school level; and

Whereas, it is necessary for assessment and grading to be transparent so that schools and students understand the standards on which they are being assessed and see that their grades were calculated accurately and fairly; and

Whereas, educators embrace our responsibility to employ the due diligence and care necessary to ensure our students’ grades and report cards are fair, complete, transparent and accurate; and

Whereas, there have been some reports that a similar level of diligence and care has not been exercised by the Department of Education, as evidenced by a number of schools that still do not have accurate and complete reports; and

Whereas, virtually all of the schools that scored well on the School Progress Reports show evidence of a strong collaborative relationship between the school principal and the school faculty; be it therefore

Resolved, that the UFT welcomes the development of a fairer and more complete system of assessment of students and schools that is based on multiple and full measures of student achievement and development and academic progress over time and gives schools credit for successes in educating students with the greatest academic and social needs; be it further

Resolved, that the UFT calls upon the Department of Education to treat this year’s School Progress Reports as the first, not the last, word on their design, and to correct the current shortcomings of the reports – especially the overemphasis on standardized test scores – in coming years; be it further

Resolved, that the UFT calls upon the Department of Education to exercise the due diligence and care befitting educators in matters of assessment and grading and take all necessary steps to ensure the accuracy and transparency of the information in the School Progress Reports; be it further

Resolved, that the UFT calls upon the Department of Education to refrain from using the School Progress Reports to make high stakes decisions including but not limited to the closure of schools; be it further

Resolved, that the UFT calls upon the Department of Education to provide support and resources to schools that receive poor and failing grades to improve the quality of their education; be it further

Resolved, that the UFT explore alternative accountability measures that would provide a fairer, more transparent and accurate assessment of each school; be it further

Resolved, that the UFT will support any school community that believes its score on the progress reports was not a fair or accurate reflection of the school’s achievement or the hard work of its educators; that support could involve appeals, demonstrations and other actions.

Passed at the Nov. 7, 2007 UFT Delegate Assembly.