Board of Education member Julie Hummer has been appointed as one of 19 members to Governor Larry Hogan’s commission to review standardized testing in Maryland public schools.
Hummer is the lone member of a local school system’s Board of Education serving on the panel. The commission includes Acting State Superintendent Jack R. Smith, State Board of Education Member Guffrie M. Smith, four members of the General Assembly, and 13 members appointed because of their various roles in education.
“I hope I can contribute to the conversation about the affect of testing on students from my combined roles as a teacher, parent, and school board member,” said Hummer, who was appointed to her at-large seat on the Board in June 2015. “We must have quantitative measurements for student achievement, but it is important to evaluate the quality and number of assessments given.”
According to the Governor’s office, the commission is tasked with reviewing time spent in each grade and in each system on administering assessments; reviewing the purpose of local, state, and federally mandated assessments; assessing whether schedules allot enough time between assessments and receiving the results; determining whether testing windows have negative ancillary effects on instruction and school calendars; considering the implications for Maryland if Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) changes allow flexibility in administering assessments; and ensuring recommendations compare student achievement in districts, state, and nation.
The commission will make recommendations based on its findings to improve the process for local, state, and federally mandated assessments and develop best methods for ensuring adequate time for administering assessments and instruction. It will meet for the first time on November 17, 2015.