New York Education Commissioner John King says the state is working to make modifications to some standardized tests.
King was in Rochester on Friday for the state's annual School Board Association Conference.
Among the state exams King is looking to change include: allowing students with disabilities to be tested based on instructional level rather than age; having 8th graders only take regents Algebra exams, eliminating the federally mandated test, and offering ELA students tests in their native language.
"We believe that we can work with other states and the U.S. Department of Education to develop a plan that would allow us to use Native Language Arts assessments for those first years of transition so that they can continue to build their literacy skills as they transition over to English," Kings says.
Hundreds of teachers, school administrators and school board members attended the conference at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center. King answered several questions from educators during a town-hall style meeting.
"There is a disconnect between what Dr. King is talking about in terms of goals,” says Fairport school board member, Damon Buffun. “It’s like reading from a pamphlet. We like those standards, but [there’s] a lack of funding and development and, really, time to achieve the goals on the test. There’s just a massive disconnect there."
King calls the new test standards and teacher evaluations "is a hard change process”, which would breed positive results over time. Other concerns included the lack of money to struggling school districts for professional development and technology.
"We will certainly in our conversations with the governor and legislature over the next few months focus on this issue,” King says. “On how do we invest in professional development? How do we invest in technology? How do we invest in our school finance equity challenges? Sometimes those will be in competition with each other. But we will try and navigate that."
Buffun says he isn't satisfied. He says King's "passing obligations to politicians for education. They’ve set the Common Core Standard through the political process, but they've also pulled back on funding."
King says the state plans to use Race to the Top funding to offer additional grants to schools to help the online exams.
The state Ed. Commissioner plans to hold a series of forums across New York as part of a "listening tour". His next stop in Rochester is scheduled for November 7th. He will also take part in a number of forums hosted by public television stations including WXXI. That forum will be held on December 3rd.