Question

Ms. Standish, principal of Hoover Elementary, recently received a report regarding the performance of her students on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. The results indicated that the vast majority of the students performed below average. Ms. Standish then wrote a scathing memo to her teachers indicating that "these results are a direct measure of the level of teaching that is going on in this school." She then went on to state, "I would like to have a plan for student remediation for each class in my office by the end of the week." It was Tuesday. please state whether Ms. Standish's conclusions are appropriate and defensible? Why or why not? back up your responses

Answer 1

Ms. Standish's opinion, in my view, is not quite reasonable. Firstly, the low performance of students on the test could be due to several factors and not solely of the level of teaching in the school. Also, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills is often used in conjunction with cognitive tests to get a complete picture of a student’s accomplishments and potential, and should not be interpreted in isolation. It would perhaps be more appropriate for Ms. Stansih to conduct a staff meeting wherein she investigates the issue by discussing why the vast majority of students performed poorly on the test.