Andanh.com

In the continuing controversy over AIMS, there's an unfortunate failure to distinguish between the test and the use of the test.

In reality, there's nothing wrong with the test.

Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards results from a process involving local educators determining what Arizona students should know grade by grade. From every indication, the AIMS test provides a fair and accurate determination of whether students have learned what Arizona educators have determined they should know.

The test is administered in grades 3 through 8. Such elementary school exams are now required by the federal No Child Left Behind law. There is also a high school test.

The question arises, of course, as to whether the Arizona standards are appropriate and rigorous enough.

Scholars Paul Peterson and Frederick Hess recently compared what each state determines to be a passing grade on its NCLB tests with the proficiency standard under the federally administered National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Now, that's a tough, and probably unfair, measuring stick. Nationally, less than a third of students attain proficiency on the NAEP tests. The nations with the highest scores on international assessments only about double that.

Nevertheless, among the states, the study found that Arizona ranked 32nd in the rigor of its standards compared to the NAEP proficiency measure. So, Arizona's test is easier than average, but not by much.

Accountability through testing has proved to produce modest improvements in student learning.
Prior to the NCLB requirement, states with such mandated exams showed statistically significant gains in student achievement compared to states without them.

Since NCLB made such tests universal, national math and reading scores on the NAEP have gone up, except for 8th grade reading.

In Arizona, below the high school level, there hasn't really been much fiddling with the passing score. Over the last five years, student AIMS scores through the 8th grade have gone up markedly in math and modestly in reading.

So, there's nothing wrong with the test and accountability through testing is producing results, in the country and in Arizona.

That makes the action of the Arizona Legislature to limit a renewal of the contract to administer the AIMS test to one year incredibly foolish. A one-year contract will obviously cost the state considerably more than a longer contract. And a switch to another test would make the state start over in measuring progress when there's no indication that is needed or warranted.

Most of the controversy surrounds the use of AIMS as a high school graduation requirement. As have other states, Arizona flinched when it came to telling large numbers of high school students they weren't going to graduate. The passing grade has been diluted and other workarounds, based upon class work, have been granted.

But again, this does not indicate a flaw in the test, which fairly and accurately determines whether students have learned what Arizona educators have determined that they should know, at least through 10th grade when the high school exam is first administered.

There is a problem with the use of the test as a high school graduation requirement. Making it such puts irresistible political pressure on diluting it.

The solution, which I've long advocated, is a two-diploma system – a certificate of achievement representing passage of AIMS and a certificate of completion indicating passage of all required courses but not AIMS.

That would create the political space to upgrade the passing score to reflect what high school graduates should truly know. Colleges and employers would quickly establish a differential value for the two diplomas, creating the right incentives for students. Schools could be judged by the percentage of their students receiving the higher degree.

It's not clear what Rep. Rich Crandall, the Mesa school board president who slipped the anti-AIMS provision into the budget along with a task force to study alternatives, wants to accomplish.

The only specific charge to the task force is to study combining AIMS with a college entrance exam, which is a monumentally bad idea. College entrance exams already exist and college-bound students already take them.

Arizona doesn't need its own test to determine whether students are prepared for college. It needs a test to determine whether its students know what it expects all high school graduates to know, irrespective of whether they are going on to college.

More intelligent and productive use could be made of the AIMS test. However, there's nothing wrong with the test itself, and junking it would be a step backward.

(column for 8.1.08)

According to Barack Obama, the blame for the housing bubble and the ensuing credit crunch lies with the Bush administration and Wall Street. In Obama's world, there were no imprudent borrowers who overreached.

Boy, that responsibility message didn't last very long.

The Cardinals' troubles at center deepened Thursday afternoon when backup Scott Peters went down with a left knee injury during an 11-on-11 session.

There is no word on the severity of the injury. Coach Ken Whisenhunt wasn't available to the media after practice -- he talked to us during the lunch hour -- and injury information flows through him. Peters, an ASU product, yelled when he was hurt and left the field on a cart.

Starter Al Johnson is out with left knee troubles. The Cardinals hope to know more about him today. Peters was backing up Lyle Sendlein. Now the backup, I guess, is rookie free agent Hercules Satele from Hawaii. I expect the Cardinals are searching for help, and Whisenhunt and GM Rod Graves talked for a long time on the field after Thursday's practice.

The situation will remind some Cardinal fans of the 2005 training camp when starter Alex Stepanovich and backup Nick Leckey were hurt during camp. The team had to scramble to find players, including Shawn Lynch, who started a game, and guys like Bill Conaty and Chad Bandiera.

I thought Peters was having a solid camp, too. He was working at both center and guard, and given the team's lack of experience at those spots, had a chance to make the roster. Maybe things will turn out OK for Peters and the injury won't be as severe as it looked.

The contract, in effect, is a five-year deal because Rodgers-Cromartie has an option to void the sixth year. Just under $9 million is guaranteed. Rodgers-Cromartie is due to receive salaries of $295,000, $385,000, $730,000, $950,000, $1.13 million and $650,000.

The live goal-line session at Wednesday night's practice, a highlight of camp last year, didn't create the same level of excitement. The first team offense scored from the 1 on fourth down, although everyone agreed that running back J.J. Arrington got into the end zone on third down. Coach Ken Whisenhunt, playing referee, ruled him down about an inch from the goal line.

I try not to read a lot into individual plays at training camp. I've seen too many guys look good for a few days, then fade. And I've seen others who show far more in games than they do in practice.

But......running back Tim Hightower has looked very good here. His TD last night was from only a yard out, but he made a nice hesitation move in order to let his blocks develop. Scouts like to say that he runs with his "feet under him", which is a little non-sensical when taken literally. What it means is that he doesn't take huge strides, and he has the ability to make quick cuts. Hightower seems to be getting more and more work with the second and third teams, even though he's No. 4 on the depth chart.

Arrington, meanwhile, faces some challenges. But he had a couple of bursts last night that were impressive and he's noticeably faster than any other runner.

It didn't look like either quarterback, Matt Leinart or Kurt Warner, was particularly sharp last night. Leinart was picked off once, while Warner didn't look as accurate as usual. In Warner's defense, at times it appeared that receivers weren't where they should haven been. He was playing with less experienced guys most of the evening.

One inexperienced receiver, free agent rookie Lance Long, continues to make at least one impressive play a day. Everyone is anxious to see what he can do in games.

I watched the one-on-one session between the defensive and offensive linemen last night. Right tackle Brandon Keith, the seventh-round pick out of Northern Iowa, did a nice job  in a couple of battles against Chike Okeafor. Keith has some quick feet and his pass sets look good. He received as many reps as anybody as the Cardinals try to develop some depth at that spot.

We should have some word today on center Al Johnson's knee, but there were rumblings in camp last night that Johnson was going to miss more practice time. Johnson had the knee operated upon earlier this summer and had some swelling after a few days of practice in camp. He returned to the Valley for a checkup yesterday. Lyle Sendlein replaced him on the first team.