MTEA Early Childhood Testing Survey
|
Introduction
The MPS administration has decided to expand the amount of testing for K-5 and 1st graders in 2013-14.
Last year, K-5 students took the PALS Phonological Awareness and Literacy Screener and the computerized MAP math test. This year MPS administration is requiring K5 students to also take the computerized MAP literacy test.
Last year 1st grade students took the computerized MAP math test and MAP literacy test. This past year the state of Wisconsin mandated that all K-4, K-5 and 1st grade students take the PALS Phonological Awareness and Literacy Screener starting in 2013-14. Teachers and parents assumed that MPS would drop the administration of the MAP literacy test in 1st grade (as it had done the previous year for K-5.) Instead, the MPS administration decided to continue the administration of the computerized MAP literacy test in 1st grade, and add the MAP literacy test in K5.
Several teachers and parents have expressed concern about the computerized MAP literacy tests in K5 and 1st grade, given that the state has mandated the PALS Phonological Awareness and Literacy Screener for those grades as well.
The MTEA as a professional education association is concerned about the overuse of testing and how such testing takes up valuable learning time, focuses the curriculum on a set of narrow skills, and has unintended consequences like keeping libraries and computer labs closed off from learning in order to do test administration.
Please answer the following survey to help the MTEA decide what we might do to protect quality teaching and learning for our youngest students.
Last year, K-5 students took the PALS Phonological Awareness and Literacy Screener and the computerized MAP math test. This year MPS administration is requiring K5 students to also take the computerized MAP literacy test.
Last year 1st grade students took the computerized MAP math test and MAP literacy test. This past year the state of Wisconsin mandated that all K-4, K-5 and 1st grade students take the PALS Phonological Awareness and Literacy Screener starting in 2013-14. Teachers and parents assumed that MPS would drop the administration of the MAP literacy test in 1st grade (as it had done the previous year for K-5.) Instead, the MPS administration decided to continue the administration of the computerized MAP literacy test in 1st grade, and add the MAP literacy test in K5.
Several teachers and parents have expressed concern about the computerized MAP literacy tests in K5 and 1st grade, given that the state has mandated the PALS Phonological Awareness and Literacy Screener for those grades as well.
The MTEA as a professional education association is concerned about the overuse of testing and how such testing takes up valuable learning time, focuses the curriculum on a set of narrow skills, and has unintended consequences like keeping libraries and computer labs closed off from learning in order to do test administration.
Please answer the following survey to help the MTEA decide what we might do to protect quality teaching and learning for our youngest students.