Institute calls for big changes in public schools' achievement tests

Talk about it

The Wisconsin Policy Research Institute is calling for major changes in the way public schools give and evaluate achievement tests.

State school officials are already working on some of those proposals.

But the institute, a conservative think tank, has one idea that’s sure to be controversial – merit pay for teachers based on their students’ performance.

Teacher unions oppose the idea, and there’s a state law against it.

But the studies’ authors say it works in two private schools and two charter schools and they say the law against teacher merit pay should be repealed.

The current standardized tests for grades 3-10 are expected to change in the fall of 2010 to reflect new educational standards which are now being developed.

A state education official said new standards for math and language arts should be ready by the end of this year.

And the policy institute calls for what’s known as “value-added results.”

They evaluate a student’s individual progress from year to year, instead of just determining whether the student is ahead or behind for a certain grade level.

Also, the testing procedures could change according to what Congress does, when it considers amending the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Tags: public schools, achievement tests, news, wisconsin