I do not usually write to newspapers, but after reading the Washington Post piece published in the Sun Journal on Nov. 24 suggesting schools take a one-year testing holiday, I can no longer keep silent.

My career has spanned 30 years teaching in the U.S. and Asia. I also spent 20 years as an active participant in construction and scoring of the Maine Education Assessment  and have prepared for essay scoring for the International Baccalaureate program.

It is time to discuss the purpose of assessment beyond reward and, more often, punishment.

Rick Stiggins, education researcher and author of several books on assessment, taught us, ” the purpose of assessment is to inform instruction.” 

Worthwhile assessment is a clear demonstration of actual learning, not memorization. Good assessment is fair, and makes teaching and learning better. When students work toward real demonstrations, they often look forward to assessments; can you imagine that?

If assessment is valid, it will reveal whether or not there has been student progress. The validity lies in making sure the student(s) are measured against themselves. Over time, if all measurements are monitored to ensure validity, the larger measurements become valuable; then the discussion concerning national levels has substance. 

Skipping a year, or not, does not answer the fundamental question of appropriate assessment. When the assessment is valid and reliable, it won’t matter how often the tests are administered, for both teachers and students will be ready and waiting for the chance to show what they can do.

Bonnie Green, Monmouth