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November 19, 2009

Are Wisconsin Students Progressing?

The Wisconsin Taxpayer [Request a Copy]:

Wisconsin spent more than $10 billion in 2008-09 to educate 861,000 public school students. At more than $11,000 per student, this represents a public investment of over $I50,000 per student over their 13-year elementary and high school career.

The success of any investment-public or private-is measured by comparing its return wilh the amount invested. With public education, measuring returns can be difficult.

In an attempt to measure student progress, Wisconsin has tested public school students using the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exams (WKCE) since thc mid-
I990s. The tests are based on Wisconsin's Model Academic Standards. Although not a perfect measure of how students (and schools) are doing, the results can provide useful information on academic progress.

MEASURING PROGRESS
The federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which was passed with bipartisan support in 2001, requires thai "not later than 12 years after the end of the 2001-02 school year, all students ... will meet or exceed the State's proficient level of academic achievement on the State assessments." Wisconsin uses the WKCE to test public school students in reading and math in third through eighth grades, and again in 10th grade. In fourth, eighth and 10th grades, Wisconsin tests students in language arts, science and social studies, as well as reading and math. Student test scores are rated as minimal, basic, proficient, or advanced.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at November 19, 2009 2:44 AM
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