Poll: Parents Clueless about New School Tests

By Doug Oakley 
Staff Writer
OAKLAND -- A majority of California parents have no clue their kids are taking new online tests this spring to measure what they've learned, according to a poll conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California.

Results of the telephone poll of 1,706 state residents released Wednesday revealed that 55 percent of parents didn't know their elementary- and high school-age kids have been taking the Smarter Balanced tests, which ask students to write analytically, think critically and solve problems using a computer. 

The California Department of Education issued a statement responding to the poll that said, in part, "With any new endeavor, it takes time to get the word out, and so far the test has been given to fewer than one-third of the students who will take it this spring." 

The statement also said the department and school district officials are "working hard to inform parents about this new era of online testing, which helps learning in every school by giving teachers and parents a more accurate measure of student progress toward college and career readiness." 

The poll also found that about one-third of parents did not know anything about the new Common Core state standards, which kids started learning in the fall of 2014 in 48 states while 66 percent had heard of it. Another 2 percent didn't know enough to give an answer. The curriculum emphasizes evidence-based learning using lots of writing to get kids thinking critically so they can be more prepared for college. 

The online tests, offered for the first time this year, replace multiple choice tests students took in years past using a pencil to fill in bubbles on a piece of paper. The new tests are adaptable to how kids answer the questions. Students who do well on the questions are asked increasingly more difficult ones, while students who struggle with answers are asked fewer. 

As of Monday, 951,396 students in California already had taken at least one of the tests this year in English and math, according to the state Department of Education. About 3.2 million kids will take the tests this year. 

"It surprises me that so many parents don't know about the tests because all the kids in grades three through eight and in high school took the test last year as part of a state pilot program," said Debbi D'Angelo, director of evaluation, research and assessment at Berkeley Unified School District. "Here in Berkeley we've done a very thorough, almost overwhelming, job of educating parents about the Common Core and the new tests." 

In the poll, 55 percent said they had never heard of the Smarter Balanced tests, while 36 percent heard "a little" and 8 percent have heard "a lot." Because of rounding in data by the poll sponsors, the percentages do not add up to 100. 

Oakland school board Director Shanthi Gonzales said she worries students who don't have computers at home will struggle with the new online tests. 

"I feel like were just going to have to get through this first year," Gonzales said. "A lot of kids in my district don't have a computer at home, and they might not have enough exposure to them or be expert typists, especially the young kids. All of that is going to affect how this first round goes." 

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