Sunday, May 5, 2013 | 2 a.m.
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The Clark County School District recently reported that 68 percent of sophomores in the district failed the math proficiency test. Passing the test is required for graduation. I taught for 30 years at the high school level. If I had given a final exam in which 68 percent of my class failed, it is more likely my administration would have called me to task rather than my students.
I would have been asked if the material on the test coincided with the material covered in class. Also, my teaching technique would have been challenged. I would have been questioned as to why my students did not respond better to my teachings.
Questions I would ask to those who authorized this test would be: 1. Was the test fair? 2. Did all students have access to the material covered on the test? 3. Is knowledge of the material on the test crucial to life after high school? 4. How many members of the School Board could have passed the test, or better yet, how many non-math teachers in Clark County could have passed the test?
What is to be proven by administering a test designed beyond students’ knowledge level? This is a failure by School District administration, not the students.
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