A student takes the Student Learning Objective Test which has been heavily criticized by students, teachers and administrators. The pre-tests were administered at the beginning of the school year. “These tests are a bad idea in theory and in practice. As for the specific way they’ve been implemented, it’s been an absolute debacle,” English department chair Ian Altman said.
By ANEESA CONINE-NAKANO – Staff Writer
Starting with the 2014-15 school year, the Georgia Department of Education now mandates Student Learning Objective Tests in courses that do not have an End of Course test. Photo by Aneesa Conine-Nakano.
Starting this month, Clarke Central High School teachers have been administering Student Learning Objective Tests. Given that this is the first year students at CCHS are taking these tests, there is some confusion with students over their purpose.
“I’ve heard plenty of feedback from teachers concerning the exam. Some of them say the questions are irrelevant to their subject; some of them think some of the things were done wrong,” Principal Dr. Robbie P. Hooker said.
Physical education, art, orchestra and foreign languages, among others, are classes that have not previously had End of Course tests will now require a SLO test. The SLOs will work similarly grade-wise to the EOCs, which count for 20 percent of a student’s final grade in a given class. Unlike the EOCs, the SLOs have a “pre-” and “post-” test.
“Since SLOs (have) pre-tests, they are almost a guaranteed failure, and the time taken up by SLOs could be used for teaching students things that are relevant to the class material,” senior Ben Foutz said.
Foutz is not alone in his sentiment that the tests are a time drain. Teachers have also been vocal in expressing their concerns.
“They take way too much time away from instruction, and since they are supposed to factor into evaluations, teachers’ temptations will be to teach to the test,” English department co-chair Ian Altman said. “(Teachers) all say ‘we’re not going to do that’ but, let’s be honest, most teachers will when their evaluations are riding on it.”
According to Altman, aside from the effects the SLOs may have on a teachers’ instructional methods, teacher evaluations can determine whether a teacher receives a pay raise, stays in the same position or even if their contract will be renewed. Students also worry about the SLOs effect on their grades.
“I suppose with students who started out (with a bad grade) and want to do better, a SLO could help them, but for students who are not paying attention, the SLO would be fatal to their grade,” freshman Gabe Mantione-Holmes said.
Although SLOs will not count towards students’ grades this year, they will from the 2015-16 school year forward.
“(EOCs and SLOs) are all worthless. I mean there’s no point in comparing them, because they’re all utterly worthless,” Altman said.
Students have reacted both negatively and somewhat positively to the implementation of another standardized test.
“Teachers that don’t already have an EOC can administer their own test. We don’t need a state-mandated test in order to find out where a student stands,” freshman Hana Chaney said.
On the other hand, some students see the purpose of the test as a way to monitor students’ progress over the year. According to the Georgia SLO website, the SLO’s purpose “is to improve student learning at the classroom level. An equally important purpose of SLOs is to provide evidence of each teacher’s instructional impact on student learning.”
“I get what they are trying to do. They are trying to get as much information as they can. So far, these tests are the best way to do that,” Mantione-Holmes said.
Another complaint among students, teachers and administrators is the cost of the tests. The printing of the first round of SLOs cost $10,000.
“Because the school is focusing on upgrading the technology, I think the money used for SLOs could go towards that or bringing new materials into the school,” Foutz said.
Despite how students, administration and teachers feel about the SLO tests, the state has no plans terminate them.
“Yes, it’s terribly expensive. It’s time consuming for administrators as far as placing those things in boxes. For teachers, its time consuming as far as grading. But it is something that is mandated by the state, and we have to do it,” Hooker said.
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