Buffalo, NY (WBEN) - Another signal points toward a very different year in education and the potential perils of remote and hybrid learning and its impact on what and how students have learned during a historic pandemic.
Earlier this week, Buffalo's top educator said he did not want to see a standardized test for students this spring. Additionally, a former member of the New York State Board of Regents says standardized tests are normally needed to assess students, but this year a different form of evaluation may be needed.
At Wedneday's school board work session, Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash said he did not want to see standardized testing after being asked by a parent how the district plans to measure the amount of learning lost in the past 12 months.
"Testing is not something the community believes in across the district. There are a lot of folks who say we should not be testing in a year like COVID. What are you testing? What are you hoping to determine from high stakes tests that are biased anyway," Cash said. "If it's used for diagnostic purposes, to help our students grow, that's a good test. But these tests people are talking about, implement and executing this spring, will not do that. It will only put families and students at a disadvantage to continue a narrative to privatize public schools, in particular, our schools."
"It doesn't tell you anything about what needs to be made up," Cash said.
He said that from his viewpoint, there are assessments going on everyday. He also said, without going in to details, the district has a robust plan to bring kids up to date, including summer, after school, and Saturday programs.
Former state regent Bob Bennett said in a normal year, he supports standardized tests so parents and taxpayers can know how their children are doing.
"Standardized testing in this pandemic, however, is going to be extremely difficult if not impossible, but some sort of assessment should occur and this rests squarely on the shoulders of the state because the inequities are obvious in terms of who has the right equipment at home," said Bennett.
The New York State Education Department currently plans to administer four of the June Regents exams at the high school level, though Education Department officials will propose canceling all remaining Regents exams at a meeting March 15.
Regents exams have not been administered in New York since January 2020.
Bennett said he believes the state has to figure out the discrepancies among districts.
"Take a look at the best practices, take a look at the ones that are struggling, for whatever reason, all legitimate, and figure out a way to help those districts measure the progress of their children, whatever measurement that might be, in this year," said Bennett.
