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| Newly appointed Regent Beverly Ouderkirk and Assemblymember Addie Russell. |
The release of this year’s Common Core test results demonstrates the need to drastically change New York’s approach to standardized testing, according to Assemblymember Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa.
Statewide 20 percent of students opted not to take the exams and in the North Country many students who did participate did not meet the state standards. Russell said she believes the “so-called state standards” are problematic.
“Although I’m in favor of higher standards, the Common Core implementation was so rushed that using it as a measure of our students’ achievement or our teachers’ ability is inappropriate,” Russell said. “With such poorly crafted tests and high opt-out rates I’m not confident these results are giving us any reliable or usable data.”
This spring Russell pushed to install Morristown-resident and life-long educator Beverly L. Ouderkirk to the state Board of Regents - the body responsible for overseeing the state’s education system. With Ouderkirk’s experience, Russell is confident she will be a voice of reason advocating for students and teachers as the board moves to correct the Common Core’s implementation.
Earlier in the summer the state rejected a contract with the British-owned Pearson Education company that was developing state exams - including those given this spring. They’ve been replaced by the Minnesota-based Questar Assessment, Inc., in a move hailed by Russell as a victory for the state.
"With Pearson rightly losing the contract with New York State, I'm excited by the opportunity to develop a relationship with a new company that may be better able to adapt to the needs of our students," Russell said. "I will work with my colleagues in the state legislature and with the Board of Regents to ensure adequate oversight and to continue to push for appropriate testing, not more testing."