When evaluating the quality of a school or school district, the state of Wisconsin puts too much emphasis on the ACT test. I don’t think this is a new observation. Surely, there is a better indicator of a district’s effectiveness than how quickly a student can interpret a graph. I have an idea. How about a survey of current graduates, graduates 5-years out, and students’ parents? The product of our school is the student. Did we prepare that product for the next step in their education or career? Were there opportunities to get involved? Did the teachers care about the product we are paid to produce? If we are supposed to be run more like a business, a survey may provide more insight than a standardized test.

Dave Reich
Science Chair