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This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by editorial page staff and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers

Friday, August 18, 2006

Test Snapshot Bleak

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    Results of last semester's standards-based tests in New Mexico public schools are in, and the snapshot they present is bleak.
   

Only about 22 percent of sixth and seventh graders statewide tested at grade level or above in math. Third graders did better, with about 44 percent working at grade level or above. According to Public Education Department officials, New Mexico students' math achievement peaks in third grade— and that's scary.
   

Schools that have large numbers of students with limited skills in English continued to struggle— only 34 percent of 11th-grade English learners can read at grade level.
   

The achievement gap is clearly visible. Only 48 percent of 11th grade Hispanics and African-American students are able to read at grade level, compared to nearly 73 percent of Anglo students.
    But Public Education Secretary Veronica Garcia is absolutely right when she says, "It's not just about closing the gap but improving proficiency for all students." Caucasian and Asian 6th graders' math scores, for example, are the highest, but 36 and 39 percent proficiency levels are nothing to brag about.
    Standardized testing has a chorus of critics. But the second annual round of a New Mexico-tailored test with New Mexico-formulated standards gives parents and taxpayers an accurate measure of the quality of education.
    The results ought to blow away any remnant of complacency and reinforce commitment to improve education— both within the system and through experimenting with alternatives.