“Again, after another delay we are now learning the results of the ISTEP test taken seven months ago. Some of our schools have been in session for nearly ten weeks. This data is already old and limited in its usefulness in the classroom.

With only half of our students passing English and math, maybe we should be asking, ‘What is the real purpose of all these tests?’ Is it about judging the adults in the buildings?

Mostly these results confirm what many studies and any teacher can tell you – a student’s household income determines their test score. This year, only 18 percent of low-income high school students passed both math and English portions.

If parents truly want to know how their students are doing in school, I encourage them to talk to their teachers.”