Get teachers away from testing

Get teachers away from testing

Are state proficiencies fool- ing parents and taxpayers?

Having the schools responsible to administer, collect and turn in tests to grading centers is naive.

The state proficiency test should include handwritten words or numbers. The writing skills can be seen and read, and it also avoids just guessing a block to fill in. And changing hand-written answers is harder to forge, if that is happening.

Tests should be UPS delivered just prior to testing. Each test should be different in question order or wording, but basically the same. The grading could be done away from tested schools.

A better way is transporting fifth-, eighth-, 11th- and 12th-grade students to a large local library. Have teachers present for safety and discipline but not involved in testing. The tests would be mailed from the library to a grading center.

Ray Carroll, Diamond