My original plan for this post has gone completely out the window. This year’s testing season will be unlike any I’m familiar with. At the time that I’m posting this, I haven’t heard how state standardized testing will happen in my state. And, I’m assuming that most other state’s don’t know how testing will happen — or, if it will happen at all. The worldwide health crisis we have been experiencing has put standardized state testing on the back burner for now. I think we are all OK with that.
As we weather this crisis together, we need to remember that life won’t always be like this. We will return to our schools one day. But, life will not be as it was before the world shut down. This testing season, it’s not our students being tested, but WE as educators, administrators, parents, and caregivers who are being tested. We are being forced to problem-solve amid a frightening and stressful situation. Although we are being challenged by this problem, it has created incredible learning opportunities for us. What we learn from trying to provide learning for our students will forever impact how we educate from now on. The pandemic itself is going to change the way we provide education!
We may start seeing smaller class sizes to accommodate physical distancing. We may start seeing parents and caregivers who were once reluctant to participate make more of an investment in their children’s education. We may start seeing equity come to the communities that traditionally perform poorly on standardized state tests due to the unequal distribution of personnel and resources. This is what testing is supposed to do! The International Corona Assessment is doing what no other assessment has been able to do — change the face of education.
PinaRose Education 