The Authentic Standards Movement and Its Evil Twin

Author(s): Scott Thompson

Source: The Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 82, No. 5 (Jan., 2001), pp. 358-362
Published by: Phi Delta Kappa International
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20439908
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 The Athentic Standards

Mevment and Its Evil Twini

Wecouldrealizesignificant
progressinpubliceducation
if theproponents of
standards-based reform
joinedhandswith thecritics
ofhigh-stakes and
testing
outlawedtheuseof
effectively
high-stakes testsas sole
indicatorsof studentsuccess,
Mr Thompson pointsout.
BYSCOTTTHOMPSON
NE THING the standards . MR
movement will never be ac
cused of is a lack of critical
opposition. But for all the
fiery rhetoric that critics di
rect against this powerful, na
tionwide movement, there is
perhaps no greater threat to standards-based
reform thanmuch of what is being perpe
trated in the name of standards-based re
form. The so-called movement - so-called, So what are these twinmovements? First, ers and students are pressured tomake stu
because it is not truly a single movement let's distinguish them by name. Iwould re dents better test-takers is precisely the rich,
but twin movements bearing the same name name the evil twin "test-based reform" or high-level teaching and learning that au
has become its own worst enemy. more specifically"high-stakes,standard thentic, standards-based reform aims to pro
If giving twins the same name is a recipe ized, test-based reform." The sibling, then, mote in all classrooms and for all students.
for confusion, consider the havoc that gets is "authentic, standards-based reform." The Authentic, standards-basedreform is
unleashed when one of them proves to be defining distinction between them is their fundamentally concerned with equity. It de
an "evil twin."' In the case of the standards respective influence on the instructional parts radically from the tracking and sort
movement, the evil twin is themore visible core of schooling and on equity issues. ing carried out by the factory-style school
and powerful of the siblings, and so its au When academic progress is judged by of yore. Instead, it aims to hold high expec
thentic namesake is in an increasingly peril a single indicator and when high stakes tations and provide high levels of support
ous situation. In fact, the problem is even - such as whether a student is promoted for all students, teachers, and educational
worse: the two are essentially joined at the from one grade to the next or is eligible leaders. Under the evil twin's (per)version
hip. for a diploma - are attached to that sin of standards and accountability, we see
gle indicator, the common effect is to nar students retained in grade because of a sin
SC07T THOMPSON is assistant director row curriculum and reduce instruction to gle test score, and we typically see a cor
of the Panasonic Foundation, Secaucus, N.J. test "prepping."What gets lost when teach responding increase in dropout rates where

358 PHI KAPPAN

DELTA byJem
Sullivan
Illustration
such worst practice is in place.2 Equity
then becomes the casualty rather than the
fruit of reform. And as Sandra Feldman,
president of the American Federation of
Teachers, recently observed, "When tests
are allowed to become the be-all and end
all, they deform, not reform, education."3
In its influence on both the instruc
tional core of schooling and on equity, the
evil twin constitutes an inversion of the
"real thing." It is a politically warped vari
ation on what is arguably among this na
tion's most powerful and promising edu
cation reforms. Although the evil twin pur
ports to be standards-based, it actually flies
in the face of research-based standards on
the appropriate use of testing. Consider, for
example, the conclusions of the National
Research Council's Committee on Appro
priate Test Use, which are being system
atically, if not willfully, ignored by many
education policy makers, especially at the
state level: "An educational decision that
will have a major impact on a test taker
should not be made solely or automatical
ly on the basis of a single test score."4
There are many reasons not to use any
single assessment as the basis for assign
ing high-stakes consequences. Not only
does such a practice tend to diminish cur
riculum and instruction, but most psy
chometricians will tell you that the assess
ment has yet to be created with a high
enough level of validity and reliability to
justify its use as the sole basis formaking
consequential decisions about the test
taker. This problem is not unique to edu
cation. Consider the words of Lt. Gen.
Ronald Kadish, directoroftheBallistic Mis
sile Defense Organization: "I don't thinkwe
should draw conclusions from any one test
that are irrevocable. No one test tells you
everything you need to know."5
Another problem is that tests are fre
quently misused. Standardized tests de
signed for national comparisons between
students, without reference to a particu
lar school's curriculum or content stan
dards, are, for example, too often used to
evaluate teachers and schools. As I have
noted elsewhere, that's a bit like trying to
use a jigsaw and screwdrivertoeat aplate
of angelhairpasta.The tools arenot nec
essarilybad in themselves,but theyarecer
tainlyill-suited to the task.6
High-stakes,test-basedreformisan ap
proachthat ismost often drivenby state
levelmandate,and it suits thepolitical ap
petite for rapid,quantifiable(hence read
ily digestible by the public) results.7 Test theprimarygoal of improvinginstruction
based reform represents a potentially le in order to improve learning and thus to
thal threat to its authentic twin.Whether improvestudentperformanceasmeasured
by design or happenstance, it is effective by a variety of assessments. In short, it is
ly sabotaging the authentic standardsmove all about quality.
ment. And not surprisingly, it is unleash We know that bureaucratic school sys
ing a swelling and intensifying backlash tems that focus on monitoring mandated
against standards and testing that is tak inputs for compliance hold little, if any,
promise of creatingand sustaininggood
ing form legally and politically, as well as
through mobilized grassrootsopposition.8 schools for childrenacross the socioeco
It is the combination of test-based re nomic spectrum. An authentic,standards
form, in the name of standards, and the based system departs radically from this
wholesale backlash that such practice pro model. It shifts from a focus on inputs to
vokes that is placing the authentic standards a focus on outcomes or performance. It
movement in peril. Not only in the gener shifts from a focus on quantity to a focus
al media, but also in specialized education on quality. It shifts from a concern with
media, one can see that the war between organizational doings to a singular, system
proponents and opponents of high-stakes wide focuson improvingtheperformance
testing tends to define the entire standards of every student. It shifts from what Rich
movement in such away that its actual na ard Elmore calls the "loose coupling" ap
ture and potential, which some school dis proach to educational governance to a sys
tricts are beginning to demonstrate, gets tem of governance that is structured around
buried under an avalanche of rhetoric. public accountabilityfor educational re
sults.',
Loose coupling is an arrangement in
A Rationale for Authentic,
inpublicschools
whichgoverningauthorities
Standards-Based Reform - from school boards down to principals
Too few children inmany of our pub - essentially run political interference so
lic schools are receiving the quality of edu that classroom teachers are shielded from
cation needed for successful life and work public scrutiny and can pursue their idio
in a rapidly changing world. The impera syncraticpedagogicalapproaches.Under
tive to provide them with a high-quality ed thisgoverning structure,which is perva
ucation is not somuch economic asmoral. sive in public schools at this time, you can
Given what we know of the lifelong con easily find that second-grade teachers in
sequences for individuals of educational neighboringclassrooms are doing com
deprivation - not tomention the broader pletely differentthingswith theirstudents
consequences for society and democracy - in terms of content, instructional prac
providing a high-quality education for tice, and even basic objectives.
all children is quite simply the right thing A standards-based approach departs from
to do. thismodel in twoways. First, itbreaks down
We know that some good schools have teacher isolation and calls for collaboration
succeeded in providing a high-quality ed around a common set of standards so that
ucation to students deemed least likely to students, parents, and teachers have awide
succeed: students of color and students in ly shared understanding of common edu
poverty.9But in a nation of 50 million school cational goals at various levels of schooling.
children, we face an enormous, yet-to-be Second, it responds to the demands for pub
met challenge: namely, taking such success lic accountability by assuming a results ori
to scale. There are various theories of change entation and making those results public.
that aim to address this challenge. The These shifts mean that structures, roles,
theory of change behind authentic, stan responsibilities, and budgets must be re
dards-based reform (again, I'm not talk thought and redesigned to dramatically in
ingabout test-basedreform)is that,if you crease thesystem'sinvestmentinhigh-qual
want to improvestudent learningacross ity learningfor teachers,for school leaders,
theboard, thenyou need to improvethe andfor thosein thecentraloffice-whosejob
qualityof instructionalcontentandprac it is to supportteachersandschool leaders.
tice across theboard. Inorder to do that, A schoolsystemthatisnot accountablefor
youmust fundamentallytransformschools providingcontinuous,high-quality,stan
and school systems so thattheirfocus,en dards-basedprofessionaldevelopmentfor
ergy, and resourcesarewholly aimed at teachersand leadershas no businesshold
JANUARY 2001 359
ing students and their teachers accountable Authentic, standards-based reform holds ers and principals are pressured in a vari
for performance against student learning the potential for improving the quality of ety of ways to raise test scores, and students
standards. student performance tomeet systemwide aredrilled accordingly.
The urgency of the need for systemic standards. It is an approach that is designed -Under a system of authentic reform,
improvementof public educationwould tomake schools accountable to the com student assessments are aligned with the
be difficult to overstate. Any observer of munities they are meant to serve and to standards, and students have numerous op
public education whose eyes are even par do so by focusing on high-quality teaching portunities to demonstrate that they have
tially open has discerned various currents and learning, not on test scores. It is an met the standards. No single test is used
that represent a potential threat to our pub approach that could stand up to the threat to determine whether a standard has been
lic schools. The number of parents who are of privatization. It is an approach that as met. Under test-based reform, a single state
home schooling their children is growing pires to reach a goal this nation has never or national test is used to determine whether
significantly, as are the number of states achieved through its systems of public edu students are promoted to the next grade or
that are fostering charter schools, some of cation: a high-quality education for all stu are allowed to receive a diploma.
which are operated by for-profit firms.Mean dents, regardless of socioeconomic back *High-quality, individualizedsupport
while, efforts to secure vouchers - includ ground. But authentic, standards-based re for students is a hallmark of authentic, stan
ing both private and public schools - are form- and arguably public education it dards-based reform. Such support is rare
not going away. self - is seriously threatened when high in test-based reform efforts.When it is pres
Over the next decade or two, it is not standards get confused with high-stakes, ent, it tends to focus on test-taking tech
difficult to imagine a scenario unfolding standardizedtests. niques rather than on teaching and learn
in which home-schoolers begin forming ing.
cooperatives and the number of students *Authentic, standards-based reform has
A 180-Degree Inversion implications for every person, policy, and
participating in them greatly expands."I In
this scenario, publicly funded vouchers al Identical twins can be difficult to dis practice in a school system because it in
so take off, and the charter school movement tinguish solely by surface characteristics. volves a complete abandonment of the bu
increasingly caters to groups of families But if one is evil and the other virtuous, reaucratic, "seat time" approach to educa
with specialized interests. We might then their character traits or essential natures tion and replaces itwith a system of learn
find textbookpublisherscustomizingtheir will stand in stark contrast. So it is with ing communities dedicated to helping all
wares for the narrow interests of parents test-based reform and standards-based re students reach their intellectual, social, and
whose children are being educated in co form. On the face of it, they are both about personal potential. By contrast, test-based
operatives or in independent schools or moving from an approach to education reform, through its focus on high-stakes
ganized around parochial values. Mean that values inputs to an approach that val tests, narrows the curriculum to what is
while, the remaining public school systems ues outputs or results. But a deeper look included on the tests and reduces instruc
would find themselves increasingly segre into the essential natures of these twins tional practice to test preparation.
gated and educationally crippled. The com reveals that test-based reform is nothing A still more profound point of contrast
mon school as ameeting ground for stu less than a 180-degree inversion of its au between the two movements emerges when
dents from diverse economic, cultural, and thentic counterpart. This, I believe, becomes we consider what educational purpose is
racial backgrounds - would be lost, as so readily apparent when their essential char implicit in each kind of reform. In the case
ciety itself became ever more fragmented. acteristics are considered side by side. of test-based reform, the purpose of edu
Such a scenario would represent a serious -Authentic, standards-based reform in cation is raising test scores. In the case of
threat to the health of our democracy. volves teachers, parents, and others as ac authentic, standards-based reform, the pur
The real potential of authentic, stan tive participants in developing and refining pose is enabling all students to achieve as
dards-based reform can be seen most clear common learning standards. Test-based re much of their creative, intellectual, and so
ly against this disturbing backdrop. We live form uses high-stakes tests, written in se cial potential as possible. Thus the goal of
in a time when both politicians and the gen cret by expert psychometricians, as single authentic, standards-based reform is to pre
eral public are demanding educational ac indicators for deciding whether students pare students to live successfully and con
countability. Public opinion research shows are promoted or graduate, thereby making tribute actively in their communities.
that,while the public favors public schools the tests the real standards.
over publicly funded vouchers, patience is *Authentic standards describe what all
The Wrong Question
wearing thin.'2 Public schools must dem students should be learning at each level
onstrate their ability to help students across (not necessarily at each grade level). Test As opposition to high-stakes testing
the socioeconomic spectrum achieve high based reform makes the scores on standard mounts and as negative consequences pile
qualityeducational results.Majorities of ized testsfor studentsat specificgrade lev up, observers and policy makers are be
thepublicandof teacherssupportthemove els, ineffect,theonlymeaningfulstandards. ginning toask, "Arewe moving tooquick
ment towardhigh standards.But, accord But this is thewrong question, and
*Under a systemof authenticstandards, ly?"1l4
ing topoll resultsrecentlyreleasedby the theschool system investsheavily inhigh it representsan extrememisreading of the
AmericanAssociationof SchoolAdminis qualityprofessionaldevelopmentfor teach problem at hand.The problem is not one
trators,amajority of voters reject the idea ersand administratorsin an effort to sup of pacing, quantity,or timing.It is aprob
thata single test can accuratelymeasure port theirwork in teachingto thestandards. lem of replacing a reformaimed at sys
students'educationalgrowth.'3 Under a systemof test-basedreform,teach temicallyenrichinganddeepening teach

360 PHIDELTAKAPPAN
ing and learning with a reform aimed at the ability to take standardized tests. It is and too inaccessible to be read as a book.
raising test scores, regardless of the im the former who will be rewarded in their But I see themetaphor as useful in bring
pact on the quality of instruction or on the personal and professional lives after grad ing out how sharp the contrast actually is
number of students being pushed out of uation, when test-taking skills will no longer between the two movements. At the same
schools and onto the streets. At whatever be relevant. time, it's important to acknowledge the com
point a high-stakes, standardized test is im plexity of the relationship between the au
posed as the sole basis for determining stu thentic, standards-based reform and test
A Personal Note based reform. As I noted above, these twins
dent success, that test will replace what
ever content and performance standards I hope my use of the "evil twin" meta are often essentially joined at the hip.What
were previously in place. It's something phor helps bring some clarity to this time Imean by that is thatmost of the districts
like a computer virus that erases and re of rampant educational confusion. But I that Iwould point to as exemplars of au
places everything thatwas stored on one's want to be clear about what I don't mean, thentic, standards-based reform are oper
hard drive. as well as what I do mean, in using thismet ating within state systems thatmore or less
We could realize significant progress aphor. I do not intend to call any individu exemplify test-based reform.
in public education if the proponents of als "evil." I believe that the tendency to
standards-based reform joined hands with demonize people who hold opposing points
The Theory inAction
the critics of high-stakes testing and effec of view has a coarsening influence on civil
tively outlawed the use of high-stakes tests discourse and so is bad for democracy it The task of sorting through the com
as sole indicators of student success. More self. What I refer to as the "evil twin" is plexities of conflicting policy contexts is
over, such amove need not lead to tooth a set of actions and the consequences I be daunting, but when it is done, what emerg
less standards. It is possible to require all lieve these actions can have and are hav es is evidence of what the authentic twin
students tomeet a set of rigorous standards ing on children and on schools. Determin is already beginning to accomplish in a
in order to graduate from high school with ing whether such consequences are intend number of school districts. Iwould point,
out using a single test as the means of de ed or unintended requires discerning what for example, toDistrict 2 inNewYork City,
termining whether those standards have is atwork in the hearts and minds of many which has posted some exemplary early
been met. We should be interested in stu people -who are crafting and enacting such results in its efforts to institute best prac
dents who can produce high-quality work policies. The human hearts and minds of tices. This story has been extensively docu
rather than students who have mastered others, I believe, are simply too complex mented by Richard Elmore, Deanna Bur

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JANUARY 2001 361

 Educational Issues Policy Brief No. 12,Washing
SAN DIEGOHAS A "BLUEPRINT" ton, D.C, October 2000, pp. 1-12; and Scott Justus
et al., Student Achievement and Reform Trends in 13
...............................................................................................................................................................
Urban Districts (Washington, D.C: The McKenzie
Group, May 2000).
FORSUPPORT OF STUDENTSWHO 10. Richard F. Elmore,
for School Leadership,"
"Building
American
a New Structure
Win
Educator,
ter 1999-2000, p. 8.
11.1 credit the observations in this paragraph to
FAILTOMEET STANDARDS. Phillip Schlechty, who outlined a similar scenario
in a keynote speech he delivered to the Panasonic
Foundation's Leadership Associates Program inOc
ney, and others, and I recommend that read reform can play a vital role in the future tober 1999. He has since written up this scenario in
ers explore theirwork."5Anthony Alvarado, of public education. They will be more like the epilogue to his new book, Shaking Up the School
house (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2001).
who was the chief architect of the reform ly to succeed in this critical task if increas
12. Jean Johnson, Assignment Incomplete: The Un
effort in District 2, has since become the ing numbers of states adopt approaches
finished Business of Education Reform (New York:
chancellor of instruction in San Diego. to standards and accountability that look Public Agenda, 1995).
That district is now moving forward rap more like Rhode Island's SALT and less 13. Lynn Olson, "Poll Shows Public Concern over
idly along the same lines and has devel like a brawny and aggressive twin- wield Emphasis on Standardized Tests," Education Week,
12 July 2000, p. 9.
oped a unique "blueprint" for interven ing a high-stakes weapon.
14. "High-Stakes Testing: Too Much? Too Soon?,"
tion and for support of students who are
State Education Leader, Winter 2000, p. 1. See al
failing tomeet standards. 1. Richard Elmore has observed, "We will get stan so Chris Pipho, "The Sting of High-Stakes Testing
As uneven as some of the early results dards-based reform. But what kind is in doubt. Will and Accountability," Phi Delta Kappan, May 2000,
may be at this stage, I would point to a it be the version that proponents envision or a cor pp. 645-46.
number of other districts whose experi rupted and poorly-thought-out evil twin?" See Rich 15. Richard F. Elmore with Deanna Burney, Invest
ard F. Elmore, "Building aNew Structure for School ing in Teacher Learning: Staff Development and In
ence suggests the potential of standards
Leadership," American Educator, Winter 1999-2000, structional Improvement in Community School Dis
based reform: Aurora, Colorado; Clovis, p. 8. trict #2, New York City (New York: National Com
California; Edmonds, Washington; Min 2. See, for example, Maureen Kelleher, "Dropout mission on Teaching and America's Future and the
neapolis; and the three districts constitut Rate Climbs as Schools Dump Truants," Catalyst, Consortium for Policy Research in Education, 1997);
June 1999; and Walter M. Haney, Supplementary Richard F. Elmore and Deanna Burney, "School
ing the El Paso Collaborative forAcadem
Report on Texas Assessment of Academic Skills Ex Variation and Systemic Instructional Improvement
ic Excellence, as well as the Houston In it Test (TAAS-X) (Los Angeles: Mexican American in Community School District #2, New York City,"
dependent School District."6And there are Legal Defense and Education Fund, 30 July 1999). unpublished paper prepared for High Performance
certainly others. 17 3. Sandra Feldman, "Where We Stand," Education Learning Communities Project, Learning Research
For an example of a state accountabil Week, 12 July 2000, p. 17. and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh,
4. Jay P. Heubert and Robert M. Hauser, eds., High October 1997; idem, "Continuous Improvement in
ity system that balances the public's need
Stakes: Testing for Tracking, Promotion, and Gradu Community District #2, New York City," unpub
for individual student and school-level re lished paper prepared for High Performance Learn
ation (Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press,
sults against the school's need for support ing Communities Project, Learning Research and
1999), p. 15.
and for a genuine measure of autonomy Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, De
5. Quoted inElaine Sciolino, "Key Missile Parts Are
cember 1998; "District 2, NYC: Teacher Learning
in achieving those results, I would point Left Untested as Booster Fails," New York Times, 9
Comes First," Strategies, August 1998, pp. 11-13;
readers to Rhode Island's SALT (School July 2000.
and Liz Gewirtzman and Elaine Fink, Realignment
6. Scott Thompson, "Shared Accountability ? Shift
Accountability for Learning and Teach of Policies & Resources (Chicago: Cross City Cam
ing from Heavy-Handed to Helping Hands," Strate
ing), an accountability program that gath paign for Urban School Reform, 2000).
gies, May 2000, p. 1.
ers extensive qualitative as well as quan 16. "Aurora, CO: A Long, Bumpy Road," Strate
7. Donald B. Gratz, "High Standards forWhom?,"
titative data on school quality for the pur gies, August 1998, pp. 4-10; "Clovis, CA: Thirty
Phi Delta Kappan, May 2000, p. 684.
Years and Counting ? Sustaining Continuous Im
pose of supporting continuous, standards 8. See, for example, Lynn Olson, "Worries of a Stan
provement," Strategies, July 1999, pp. 4-7; "Minne
based school improvement."8 Each school dards 'Backlash' Grow," Education Week, 5 April
apolis: Aligning Assessments," Strategies, August
in the state engages in self-study and devel 2000, p. 1 ;and Drew Lindsay, "Contest," Education 1998, pp. 13-14; Stephen Fink and Scott Thomp
Week, 5 April 2000, p. 30. For more information on son, "Standards and Whole un
ops a school improvement plan. Periodi the growing opposition to test-based reform, see Al
System Change,"
published paper on standards-based reform in Ed
cally, a team of teachers, parents, and ad fie Kohn, "Fighting the Tests: A Practical Guide to
monds, Washington, prepared for Panasonic Foun
ministrators from outside the district spends Rescuing Our Schools," pp. 348-57, this Kappan. dation, December 1998; M. Susana Navarro and Di
a full week in the school, reviewing the self 9. The evidence along these lines is enormous. One ana S. Natalicio, "Closing the Achievement Gap in
study and other data, shadowing students, good example is a study conducted by the Center El Paso: A Collaboration for K-16 Renewal," Phi
for Performance Assessment on what it calls the Delta Kappan, April 1999, pp. 597-601; "Houston,
visiting classes, and interviewing teachers,
"90/90/90 Schools." These are schools inwhich more TX: Aiming High," Strategies, May 2000, pp. 3-6;
parents, and administrators. The results of than 90% of students qualify for a subsidized lunch, and Rod Paige, "No Simple Answer," Education
this external review are written up as a re more than 90% of students are ethnic minorities, and Week, 8 November 2000, p. 48. (Strategies can be
port containing conclusions, recommenda more than 90% of students still achieved "high ac accessed at http:www.aasa.org/publications/strategies/

tions, and commendations. The full report ademic standards, according to independently con index.htm.)
ducted tests of academic achievement." The results 17. See, for example, "Doing What Works."
is read to the entire faculty by the chair of
of this study appear inDouglas B. Reeves, Account 18. "Rhode Island: Accountability = School Im
the visit on theMonday following the visit.
ability in Action (Denver, Colo.: Advanced Learn provement," Strategies, May 2000, pp. 3-6; and
School districts that areworking to ful ing Press, 1999), chap. 19. See also "Doing What "Coming to Judgment," Strategies, May 2000, pp.
fill the original promise of standards-based Works: Improving Big City School Districts," AFT 7-8. K

362 PHI DELTAKAPPAN