Opinion
College & Workforce Readiness Letter to the Editor

A New College Assessment

June 11, 2019 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

The article “Counselors Blast College Board’s Plan to Assign Students a ‘Disadvantage’ Score” discusses the College Board’s plan to expand the “adversity score” program on the SAT exam (May 20, 2019). This would factor the “level of disadvantage” points into the score.

Simply giving points to students based on their family income, environment, and educational differences, however, pigeon-holes them based on generalities rather than their skills and abilities. In order to ensure colleges and universities have sufficient information about a student, there must be systemic change at the secondary school level.

Envision a MAP (My Action Plan, which is something I implemented into Milwaukee Village School when I worked there) as a portfolio where students document their success from year to year through demonstrated assessments. What would be the requirements for graduation? Now, it is time to use your imagination.

The MAP is a portfolio of learning throughout the school years. What if a student, at any age, would present that portfolio to a university for acceptance? That university would then analyze it and would either accept the student or identify skills needed for future acceptance. The student would then return to high school or a community college to enhance those skills, and the university would be able to reassess the student for possible acceptance later. This way, students could hang on to their dreams and continue to move toward their life goals.

Students may choose a different course to follow but, either way, their decision would be based on information relative to their future, not just the SAT or other standardized tests. Children might not complete their education at the same time—some will do so sooner, some later. However, they will all successfully complete school, and that will give them hope for their future.

Eldon “Cap” Lee

Retired Teacher/Principal

Milwaukee, Wis.

A version of this article appeared in the June 12, 2019 edition of Education Week as A New College Assessment

Events

Student Well-Being K-12 Essentials Forum Boosting Student and Staff Mental Health: What Schools Can Do
Join this free virtual event based on recent reporting on student and staff mental health challenges and how schools have responded.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Curriculum Webinar
Practical Methods for Integrating Computer Science into Core Curriculum
Dive into insights on integrating computer science into core curricula with expert tips and practical strategies to empower students at every grade level.
Content provided by Learning.com

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

College & Workforce Readiness Should Students Sign Up for AP or Dual Enrollment? What Readers Think
EdWeek readers share their take on the debate over pathways to earning college credit in high school.
4 min read
Educators at the College Board's AP annual conference learn about various AP program offerings intended to address access and equity to advanced coursework for underrepresented students in Seattle, Wash. on July 20, 2023.
Educators at the College Board's AP annual conference learn about various AP program offerings intended to address access and equity to advanced coursework for underrepresented students in Seattle, Wash. on July 20, 2023.
Ileana Najarro/Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Parents Value 'Workforce Development.' Here's How to Get Their Support for CTE
The ways in which schools and policymakers talk about career and technical education influences parents' support for it.
4 min read
Students make measurements to wood to add to a tiny home project during their shop class at Carrick High School in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Dec. 13, 2022.
Students make measurements to wood to add to a tiny home project during their shop class at Carrick High School in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Dec. 13, 2022.
Nate Smallwood for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Q&A Common App Will Offer Some Students Direct College Admission. Its CEO Explains
A new program aimed at motivating more first-generation, low-income students to go to college launches this month.
7 min read
Illustration of a college building and diverse students.
Collage via iStock/Getty
College & Workforce Readiness Opinion To Help Students, One Company Has Unlocked $100 Million a Year in College Aid
A peer-based mentoring organization encourages high school seniors to apply to college and helps them receive financial aid.
7 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty