Educational Changes Taking Center Stage in Sarasota

The endless debate over educational testing will not move forward until we reframe the conversation around what it truly means to assess student performance. As students across Florida are preparing for this year’s standardized tests, it is my hope that the current political climate will present us with an opportunity to explore with fresh eyes the many quality educational programs that provide a viable alternative to systemic, standardized assessment.

For over a decade, I have led high-performing schools, public and private, and have worked alongside colleagues who embrace both effective learning techniques and accountability measures. As professional educators, we readily assume the responsibility for our students to learn and succeed yet we also understand that the skills necessary for success in a dynamic, global 21st century workplace cannot be adequately measured through annual “high-stakes” testing.

As a parent and an educator, I believe our definition of assessment must shift from merely measuring the acquisition of predetermined content to providing opportunities for students to apply what they learn in a meaningful, relevant and socially constructive context. In short, we should focus less on what our children learn and more on what our children do with what they learn. While exhibition based assessment is not a new idea in Florida, the changing nature of our increasingly connected global world has pushed many in our schools to explore these alternatives to traditional assessment with a renewed sense of urgency.

There are a number of innovative models in great schools that value creativity and critical thinking above routine memorization and the regurgitation of stale content. One such example is the Institute of Design at Stanford University, which is a world-renowned school that is widely considered a model of innovative 21st century teaching and learning. Known as the “d.school,” it is founded on a methodology called “Design Thinking” where all students’ work through a multi-step learning process focused on “need finding, understanding, creating, thinking and doing.” In this environment, students are not tested on what they understand but rather how they can generate new ideas or prototypes based on what they have learned.

Another example of a school where effective learning and rigorous high-quality assessment extend far beyond high-stakes tests can be found right here in our own backyard. For over 40 years, Sarasota’s Temple Beth Sholom Schools (TBSS) has quietly developed a reputation as a model of academic excellence with a unique, project-based curriculum where students of all faiths and backgrounds are judged on their ability to apply real-world problems while working creatively, collaboratively, and with a social conscience. Yes, students take traditional assessments, including an annual standardized test, however these tests aren’t used as the primary measure of student (or teacher) performance. Rather for students in preschool through eighth grade, academic achievement is measured through projects, exhibitions and portfolios that demonstrate a high-level understanding of critical concepts, skills and ideas.

By encouraging the Florida legislature to redefine high-stakes assessment to focus on the application of “real-world” skills, we have the potential to transform our state’s public school system and our economy. By requiring our students to exhibit work that includes programming, graphic design and 3D fabrication as components of our core curriculum, we will broaden the ability of graduates to demonstrate meaningful mastery of the crucial 21st century skills like collaboration, creativity and critical thinking that they will be called upon to utilize in tomorrow’s workforce.

Let me be clear, this is not a call for the abolition of pencil and paper or computer-based testing, rather a shift in emphasis to assessing students on exploring ideas, making arguments, and formulating judgments. Let us instead follow the lead of schools like the d.school at Stanford or Temple Beth Sholom Schools where assessment is collaborative and designed to provide meaningful feedback. By giving our students the opportunity to demonstrate, explain and teach the relevance of their hard work to peers, parents and members of our local communities, we can transition from grueling weeks of standardized testing to public showcases of critical thinking and student achievement.

I’m a big believer in mission-driven education – a mission that purposefully encourages our children to impact the world and make their mark. By broadening the definition of accountability to include the real-world application of knowledge and skills, we can focus on what matters most, preparing students to make a meaningful contribution in our world tomorrow.

Dan Ceaser currently serves on the Harvard Graduate School of Education Principal’s Center Advisory Board and will begin this July as the Head of School at Temple Beth Sholom Schools.