OGT News: Ohio joins other states in math test development
The Associated Press is reporting that Ohio has joined eight other states to develop a standardized proficiency test for high school algebra. Some educators are calling it the first move toward national educational standards.
As most educational professionals know, academic standards in basic subjects like English, math and science vary from state to state. The proposed test would create a standard for at least the nine states to live by. The states involved are Ohio, Arkansas, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
Although details are not yet worked out, the test would likely be given to all students who take algebra II. It would be separate from the current math portion of the Ohio Graduation Test and would not count toward a diploma. It will be offered for the first time to Ohio students who are interested in taking the test at the end of the 2007-08 academic year.
States involved are considering making the test scores available to college placement offices since research shows students who take algebra II (after completing basic algebra and geometry) are the ones most likely to go on to college. More and more states are requiring algebra II for graduation.
In Ohio, it would take a state law to make the new algebra II test mandatory. The new move shows states are in line with creating consistent standards and assessment tools, although efforts by the federal government to do so in the past have failed.
This idea has a better chance of survival since it is a grassroots movement and not something being forced on states from the national level, once expert said.
As most educational professionals know, academic standards in basic subjects like English, math and science vary from state to state. The proposed test would create a standard for at least the nine states to live by. The states involved are Ohio, Arkansas, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
Although details are not yet worked out, the test would likely be given to all students who take algebra II. It would be separate from the current math portion of the Ohio Graduation Test and would not count toward a diploma. It will be offered for the first time to Ohio students who are interested in taking the test at the end of the 2007-08 academic year.
States involved are considering making the test scores available to college placement offices since research shows students who take algebra II (after completing basic algebra and geometry) are the ones most likely to go on to college. More and more states are requiring algebra II for graduation.
In Ohio, it would take a state law to make the new algebra II test mandatory. The new move shows states are in line with creating consistent standards and assessment tools, although efforts by the federal government to do so in the past have failed.
This idea has a better chance of survival since it is a grassroots movement and not something being forced on states from the national level, once expert said.
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