Replace MEA with SAT? More study, input needed

Recently, the state commissioner of education, Susan Gendron, made the decision to replace the Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) for 11th-graders with the SAT. We are asking that the implementation of this decision be delayed until further study and public input can be utilized.

This is a tremendous change which affects a significant number of Maine public high school students, teachers, staff and parents, and we believe there are enough viable concerns about this switch which have not been adequately addressed in order for an April 1, 2006 implementation, as has been designated by the commissioner. This change has far too much impact on too many people to be made so quickly and with so little public input.

Some of the primary concerns that have been expressed regarding this issue include the questionable validity of the SAT as a curriculum assessment, the viability of attaining a 95 percent participation rate for all juniors, as is required for average yearly progress by the federal No Child Left Behind act; and the ability of Maine high school SAT test centers to handle the tremendous increase in the number of students taking the test.

In addition, the executive board of the Maine Counseling Association has expressed a significant ethical concern regarding the participation of school counselors in the administration of a test for purposes other than for which it was designed. In the American Counseling Association’s Code of Ethics, it specifically states, “Counselors do not misuse assessment results and interpretations, and they take reasonable steps to prevent others from misusing the information these techniques provide.” Also, the code states, “Counselors carefully consider the validity, reliability, psychometric limitations, and appropriateness of instruments when selecting assessments.”

That there is a question of the appropriateness and validity of using the SAT as a curriculum assessment has been suggested by many, and specifically articulated by UMaine professor Ted Coladarci and Bangor Superintendent of Schools Robert Ervin (BDN, Sept. 16), as well as by the National Association for College Admission Counseling. This association, arguably the group of professionals in the country with the most expertise in the use of the SAT, wrote Commissioner Gendron expressing their concerns and urged her to avoid using the SAT in place of the MEA.

Commissioner Gendron states in her informational letter (no. 39) that the implementation of this policy initiative is aimed at increasing college readiness. We applaud this concept, and certainly support the premise that students should be challenged academically and be well prepared for their choice of post-secondary plans.

There are numerous reasons students do not attend college (four-year or two-year or trade schools), and do or do not succeed once they get there. However, requiring all students to take the SAT as a primary strategy to increase college readiness is one

that should be studied much more thoroughly prior to implementation.

There are many serious issues facing families today that hinder collegiate matriculation and success, and additional strategies to resolve these issues need to be included for further exploration and research as well.

Ben Milster is a guidance counselor at Jay High School and president of the Maine Counseling Association. Tom Saviello, U-Wilton, is a state representative from District 90 (Avon, Strong, Phillips, New Vineyard, Temple, Wilton and part of Franklin County).