1/14/00
EDUCATION REFORM TOO IMPORTANT TO BE JUST ANOTHER STORY
A recent article in Alabama newspapers shows some of the dangers of too- simple reporting of complex matters in education.
An Associated Press article reporting on the preliminary use of the Professional Education Personnel Evaluation tool by the State Department of Education to assess teacher education programs in the state of Alabama requires some clarification.
The first use of the evaluation tool revealed weaknesses that I would like to see corrected before the Department of Education begins use of the instrument as a permanent, ongoing measuring device. The reporting of the initial findings was easily misinterpreted. These misinterpretations became the basis of flawed reporting that besmirched excellent teacher preparation programs along with those which probably would fall short even under a more-effective reporting process.
Although other universities were mentioned much more prominently in an unfavorable light than Auburn University, Auburn was included in a catch-all list that included virtually every institution in Alabama involved in teacher education. However, even such a glancing inclusion cast Auburn and probably several other institutions in a light that was undeserved and unfair to our students, faculty and alumni. It also highlights a major problem our society faces with media coverage of education issues.
First of all, we in the College of Education at Auburn University are more than willing to be accountable for the preparation of quality teachers through our teacher education programs, and we are pleased with the attention directed to public accountability at all levels and for all those involved in education.
We have done a great deal at Auburn to support accountability efforts by encouraging valid and reliable testing for beginning teachers, requiring standardized testing for students who wish to enter our programs,and by systematically following up on our graduates as they enter the teaching profession and continue their careers. The excellence of Auburn's programs is reflected by several indicators, including the number of quality teachers certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, the scores on national exams to enter our programs, high grade point averages of our students in their content areas and the number of administrators named superintendent or principal of the year.
The College of Education at Auburn University is concerned about the quality of teaching across the state. We are ready to help any county or district in need, and we would like to think that if one teacher was seen as needing help, the principal or superintendent of that school would look to us for help.
What I found so disappointing about the Associate Press article was the inference that if one student did not do well, the "university was found failing." Students in 25 of our college's programs participated in this pilot study, and of these 25 programs, all programs were found "clear" with the exception of two that had an inadequate sample size. In the AP article, the program focused on was one of those two programs. To suggest that, if we had more students in this one program it would have failed is misleading and inaccurate. In fact, if an individual were making a judgment about the program based on the results of the other 23 programs, it would seem more likely to say it would have been clear. We are proud of how our students did on this exercise and that 23 of our programs are "clear" and none are on "alert" or "caution." In addition, two program areas, Early Childhood and Elementary Education, had graduates that made a perfect score, and of the 25 program areas tested, 100 percent of the students in 22 of these programs scored at or above the required competency level.
Approximately 200 students from Auburn passed the test, yet Auburn University finds itself incorrectly listed in the article as on ³warning² because one student in one program scored one point below the passing level for that program. If that student had scored one point higher, there would have been no mention of Auburn. Likewise, if there had been even two more students in that program and they had performed only at the average level for their group, the program would have scored in the highest ranks. Other institutions may have had a similar experience. Oversimplified reporting, however, misses these distinctions and hurts the hundreds of students who do well on these exams.
I am thankful that the Alabama Board of Education is addressing the issue of quality in teacher preparation. I am hopeful that the current instrument can be refined enough to produce meaningful results that can be used to ensure that Alabama schools have good teachers for all our children. I am also hopeful that the daily newspapers and electronic media of this state will focus more thorough and in-depth coverage of the complexities of education. The daily newspapers and electronic media can help improve the quality of education in Alabama by helping the people across our state understand the issues. First, however, the reporters and editors in the media have to understand those issues. The media's record so far has been very mixed.
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(Kunkel is the Wayne T. Smith Distinguished Practitioner and dean of Auburn University's College of Education)
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CONTACT: Kunkel, 334/844- 4446.