Education Matters: Are you as smart as a Columbia public school student?

A popular television game show pits adult contestants against a group of fifth-grade students to quiz their knowledge on such subjects as geography, history and math. More often than not, to the delight of the viewing audience, the students win. While entertaining, I think this show demonstrates that today’s students are expected to demonstrate knowledge at higher levels than ever before in this country.

Twenty-five years ago a report was delivered to the public by the National Commission on Excellence in Education entitled, “A Nation at Risk.” The commission determined that poor academic performance was evident at nearly every level of schooling and warned that our education system was “being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity.” The report highlighted a number of disturbing facts about student performance, including the following:

• Only one-third of 17-year-olds could solve a math problem requiring several steps.
• Only one-fifth could write a persuasive essay.
• Millions of adults were illiterate.
• Scholastic Achievement Test scores were dropping.

The report generated heated debate about public schools and fueled a number of educational reforms culminating with mandates reflected in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002. This act requires schools to improve students’ skills or face ever-tougher sanctions.

However, the recommendation that had the most effect in Missouri and other states was the adoption of rigorous and measurable state standards and expectations. Prior to this, what was taught and how it was measured was basically a district decision. Without state standards, there was no way to compare and contrast achievement among and between districts.

Missouri and other states began the arduous task of developing state standards that identify what students are expected to know and do at each grade level and in specific content areas.

In Missouri, these standards are known as the Show-Me Standards, 73 rigorous academic standards developed by Missouri teachers and adopted by the State Board of Education. In order to measure student progress toward these standards, the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) was developed. The MAP is a performance-based assessment system used to determine if schools and districts are making “Adequate Yearly Progress,” a requirement of NCLB. What distinguishes these assessments from those of yesteryear is their requirement for students to show their work in the form of “performance events” and “constructed responses.”

Today, a student cannot expect to guess his or her way to high scores. The MAP requires that students not only have knowledge of facts, but that they also are able to demonstrate higher order thinking skills, such as being able to apply knowledge, analyze it, and/or synthesize it into a product.

Today’s students are being challenged to perform at standards that are world class. They must be able to demonstrate they know and are able to apply their knowledge.

Increases in reading and math scores at the state and national level indicate progress is being made. Columbia Public Schools are no exception. Our district has earned the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Distinction in Performance Award for the fourth year in a row based on student performance. Only 7 percent of districts statewide have earned this honor.
We have the lowest dropout rate in 20 years and our graduation rate is at an all-time high. Student MAP scores in language arts and math are consistently above state averages, including several schools that rank in the top 10 for scores in the state. More than 85 percent of our students go on to college or post-secondary education compared to 69 percent statewide.

Fourth-graders today are better equipped and are being challenged to meet higher expectations than fourth-graders 25 years ago.

My recommendation is that the next time you have a tough question, ask a Columbia student for help. I bet they know the answer.