Rochester: Every Single Student Can And Should Go To College??

Rochester: Every Single Student Can And Should Go To College??

The purpose of testing should NOT be to push every student into college!

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/local-students-educators-question-value-of-mandated-testing/article_15153ec7-14d5-54c9-b936-a6a5bed902e9.html

Student:

Emily Vold, a Lincoln K-8 School seventh-grade student, was the youngest audience member to express concerns about today's current testing regimen. She noted that one test she and her peers are required to take gets progressively more difficult the further a student gets into it — until finally "you have no idea what it's about." Wouldn't it be better, she asked, to spend that time learning those things rather than testing what kids don't know?

"I was thinking we could be taking the time that we're spending on these tests ... learning new things," Vold said. "I know a few of my friends were getting discouraged because they didn't know what was being presented to them on the test, and so they felt they weren't smart."

Why should every student be expected to go to college??

This year will be the first year all high school juniors will be required to take a college entrance exam similar to the ACT that state colleges and universities will accept for admission. Under the old system, college-bound students took an Accuplacer test that Cassellius said wasn't aligned to "what we were teaching in our standards in K-12." The result was that many students spent a lot of time and money taking remedial classes in college instead of college-level courses. Many eventually gave up.

"It's a very high bar. [Wrong headed: ] But we think it's important to set the expectation that every single student can and should go to college," Cassellius said, noting that that could mean one- and two-year certification programs that lead to good jobs.

Tests aren't important? 

 The audience applauded when Cassellius said that grade point average is a "better predictor of college success of how well students are going to be doing."

Muñoz, who said he wasn't a "supporter of one test," related how his high school counselor advised him to avoid college based on his performance on the ACT. Instead he went on to college and graduate school

Every Student In College Priv 2013 08