Report Card for Utah Schools

Education Week has released the report Quality Counts 2006 which grades states based on their education policymaking and student achievement.

The report gives Utah a C+ on state education policy which is in line with the national average, according to the report.

Statistics can be misleading. I was glad to see that many items included in the report were debunked and/or explained by a Utah Sate of Education official.

According to the report, Utah ranks low in efforts to improve teacher quality in part because it is one of three states that do not require aspiring teachers to pass any type of written test to earn an initial license.
Recognizing the need for improvement in various areas, Ray Timothy, associate superintendent for the State Office of Education, said that’s not true. As of July, Utah law requires all teachers to take a rigorous content knowledge test to prove that they are highly qualified in the subject they are teaching.
He said Utah institutions have been giving the test voluntarily on their own, but the state did not have it as a requirement until this year.
That requirement came after the study’s information deadline so was reported as non-existent.
the analysis also shows Utah falling behind in holding schools and teacher-training programs accountable for teacher quality.
“I disagree with that because all of our teacher preparation programs have to meet accreditation standards — they are specific standards that they have to adhere to and they all meet those standards,” Timothy said.
“So to say that we don’t hold them accountable for teacher quality I don’t believe is a true statement because (Utah) standards are those national standards and unless they met those standards the board would not allow them to have a preparation program.”

The report also indicated that Utah uses too much multiple choice tests in its testing system. Timothy pointed out that when your resources are limited, you cut corners whereever it is deemed necessary. Having essay tests would require bringing in readers, etc. Multiple choice tests still gets the testing done.

Another example of how funds need to be better allocated in this state. Testing would be more valuable and more reflective of what is being learned if the money were dedicated to providing the most effective means of evaluating.