Governor Kristi Noem better send a memo to Tony Venhuizen’s seat-warmer over in Education, Interim Secretary Ben Jones, and tell him to tell his department to work on civics first. Governor Noem wants to force kids to take a civics test to graduate high school (this is big government), but her office hasn’t managed to write and submit any bills yet (this is lazy Kristi government). Thus, the Department of Education has jumped ahead with its own bill revising testing
Senate Bill 24 revises the timeframes for the statewide assessments required of every public school district by SDCL 13-3-55. Right now, kids take the state tests in English and math in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11. They take science tests in grades 5, 8, and 11. SB 24 removes the grade specification for the the science tests: the bill would allow schools to give the science tests once in grades 3–5, once in grades 6–8, and once in high school. SB 24 also allows schools to give the high school English and math assessment in any grade, not just grade 11.
I don’t know if that counts as much leeway, since, if every school is getting the same test, Britton-Hecla is probably not going to pit its freshman against Webster’s juniors. Schools could wait and have their seniors take the tests, but if the Department of Education keeps setting the test period for spring, herding the seniors in for a week or two of tests when senioritis is blooming fully right along with those first track-meet sunburns could produce lower scores than testing the juniors who still have fresh in their minds SOHCAHTOA (on the test, guaranteed).
In possible anticipation of the Noem/Jones civics mandate, DoE does ask in SB 24 that we strike language requiring public schools to give a standardized writing test at two grade levels. (I remember giving freshmen at Montrose a version of that writing test.) I don’t see that writing test in DoE’s current list of required assessments; maybe they capture their writing data on the regular English test in the spring. But on paper, SB 24 makes it look like the state is giving up two instances of a required test, which could be used by some wily test-lovers as an opening to introduce a new mandatory test.
The tests mandated by SB 24 are not tied to graduation (remember that, kids: the Smarter Balanced tests do not affect your report card). Thus, Governor Noem probably won’t order Senate Leader Langer to pick a minion to amend SB 24 to tuck her civics test into our statutes on curriculum and instruction… but Noem could also just order Interim Secretary Jones to write the civics test into Administrative Rule 24:43:11:02, which sets general high school graduation requirements.
As your next Governor, I’ll repeal any testing requirements Kristi Noem signs and the ones tinkered with by SB 24. Instead, I’ll send my Department of Education staff out to observe teachers and schools. I’ll go with on a quarter of those visits each year, meaning that in my first term, I will visit every school district once and contribute observations to the Department assessment. That will be cheaper, more honest, more human, and less disruptive to school schedules and student learning than any regime of statewide tests.
But if we must impose new tests, particularly a civics test on which escape from high school hinges, we must test those tests thoroughly. Before any high schooler takes that civics test, I want Governor Noem, Interim Secretary Jones (not Venhuizen; he’ll skew the scores too high), and everyone in the Legislature to take that test. We can use their average to benchmark the cut score for high school graduation.
Oh, your last paragraph cuts right to the bone!!
Really, emphasis on civics is good, but ferpetessake, can the statewide testing for every stinking thing!
I’m sure the test will include a section concerning “South Dakota Values.”
I got 22 out of 24 correct. Grrrrrr!! One I knew and just blew it. “How many justices on SCOTUS?” I said 11. The other one I didn’t know and guessed. “How many amendments in the US Constitution?”
https://www.test-guide.com/citizenship-test/free-citizenship-practice-tests/citizenship-practice-test-1.html
She is dumber than a piece of cardboard.Her and windgust Powers, would make a great pair in Pierre.
I love that photo. L’il kids touch typing. BRavo
Currently no computer coding requirement in SD. So, with Civics requirement SD students will know the past but not the future…….
King, I enjoy my dabblings in coding and respect the real coders out there. But could I argue that coding skills are no more necessary to participate in the digital economy than engine-building skills are to drive to work every day, while every citizen needs to exercise informed civic judgment every day in a democracy?
See, Porter? We need a benchmark. What’s the cut score for graduation? Perfect score? The average score immigrants get when they take the test? The score our Governor gets on her first try?
Applicants for citizenship must answer at least six out of ten questions correctly on the civics test. And it’s an oral quiz.
22 out of 24? Welcome to America, Porter. Glad to have you. :-D
Porter and Cory, got ’em all. Bwahahahahaha!
Let’s require candidates for any elected office, yes, including dog catcher, to pass a civics test as part of filing. Emphasis on part of government they want to run for.
SB 24 is the stupidest bill I’ve ever seen. I’m not a huge fan of standardized tests, though I think they have a small place in helping districts figure out how they are doing. If you are going to use them they ought to be, you know, standardized. Either do away with the tests altogether, or use them in a way that makes sense. If you continue to use standardized test, then use them in a standardized fashion.
I know the rap standardized tests get from left and right, but they are useful if used right.
Now the civics test seems to be different. Civics ought to be taught in a way that encourages, rather than bores, students. It should be thoughtful and participatory, and that is something South Dakota Republicans do NOT want. Really, we’ve seen how Republicans make every effort to discourage real citizen input and participation with their idiocy regarding initiatives, voter ID and other measure to prevent citizen engagement in government. Republicans want little programed automatons regurgitating b.s. and useless information so they don’t really notice how Republicans are busy stripping them of their rights.
I’ve commented before about what I’d like to see. Let students draft and propose
10 / 10 on my practice civics test. Thanks to everyone responsible for helping me learn American history and politics in high school and college.
Didn’t know it was culturally important to know the Missouri river is one of the two longest rivers in the US, but okay.
I for one don’t have an issue with requiring this “standardized test” as a graduation requirement. School’s job is to help us be prepared for being contributing members of society. It’s hard to be a contributing member of society if you haven’t a basic understanding of our political system and cultural history.
More to the point, while we have the privilege of being born as citizens, we have a responsibility to be good citizens.
The bill is merely cleanup and needed updating of existing law 13-3-55 to address current federal requirements for ESSA. Say what you want about ESSA but the majority of districts make effective use of the dollars provided from the federal funds. Civics test is another issue not tied into the current requirements and will be state funded. Read the information available to all on the DOE website before going off on uninformed rants. SD has minimal requirements for accountability testing.