President’s Perspective

For Good Measure

Debbie Atkinson, AAEA Board President Elementary Principal

This year has provided educators with an enormous challenge in how to operate our schools efficiently, safely, and effectively. Although we have done well, there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of stress and anxiety for all stakeholders. With the decision to proceed with student assessment this spring, I want to encourage us to not allow this to add a deeper level of stress and anxiety for our teachers and students. High-stakes assessments can generate stress and sleepless nights for all involved. As administrators, it is our job to actively de-escalate the tension surrounding testing this spring.

Some thoughts:

●Assessments of and for learning help both teachers and parents plan for improving student learning.

●Assessments during this unprecedented time will help us better understand and correct the gaps in learning that may be more prevalent due to COVID-19.

●Assessments, especially this year, will provide needed data to consider educational recovery efforts where needed.

●Assessments, and especially positive results, do not guarantee long-term success for every student.

●HB1151 has been signed by the Governor (Act 89) and suspends the public school rating system for the 2020-2021 school year.

●Assessments do not measure some of the most important life skills that we work so diligently to instill in our students. Some of those qualities include kindness, determination, creativity, humor, resilience, and compassion. These qualities have proven to be more important than ever this year!

As the country begins discourse on how to open schools, I think they should take some lessons from Arkansas. As a state, I believe we have done an outstanding job of moving forward during this pandemic. Let’s finish this year strong! I challenge each of you to actively be involved in easing the stress associated with state testing for teachers and students this spring.