Contact: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Monday, April 13, 2009

The upcoming changes in state testing have been in the news a lot lately, along with talk of how Fayette County students will be affected. In this four-minute audio clip, hear what Superintendent Stu Silberman has to say about assessments, goals, accountability and the continued focus on what’s best for kids:

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An excerpt from Silberman’s April 6 column in Stu’s News:

With the changes that have been made to the state assessments, we will continue to work to ensure that all of our kids reach proficiency. It is so important that we stay focused on doing what is best for our kids.

I believe that the new assessment that will begin in 2011 will address concerns that many have had for a long time with the current system. An example of a good change is that the testing will take place during the last 14 days of the school year. The biggest concern we have, and one that is shared in school districts across the state, is what happens during the interim period while the new test is being developed.

We continue to be committed to help all of our kids reach proficiency by answering the following four questions:

• What is it that we expect our students to learn?
• How will we know if they learned it?
• What will we do if they don’t learn it?
• What will we do if they already know it?

These have been the guiding questions for us, and no matter what test is developed, they are still very pertinent and must be answered.

I am optimistic about the future!