According to some measures, test results for North Carolina’s public schools demonstrate stagnant progress, at best, or a slight decline in academic preparation. A recent evaluation published by US News and World Report ranked states by quality of K-12 education based on five specific criteria: college readiness, high school graduation rates, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in Math, the NAEP in Reading, and preschool enrollment.

After researchers finished crunching the numbers, North Carolina’s overall ranking was 28th among the 50 states. Perhaps the best news is that students in North Carolina rank 17th in college readiness. The worst news is our state ranks 41st in preschool enrollment. Vermont, the top state in this category, has 33 percent of its children below five enrolled in preschool.

To put that in perspective, in 2018 only 47 percent of four-year-olds who meet eligibility standards are enrolled in North Carolina’s pre-k program. Nearly 33,000 students who meet eligibility standards are not being served by NC Pre-K, according to Public Schools First - NC.

To be eligible, children must be four years old by August 31 of the year they enter. They must come from a family whose gross income is equal to or less than 75 percent of the state median income. Up to 20 percent of enrolled children may come from households with incomes above that level if the children fall in another high risk category. Those categories include developmental delay, identified disability, a chronic health condition or limited English proficiency. Additionally, certain military families may be eligible without regard to income.

What concerns me most is the reading level of eighth graders as measured on the NAEP. North Carolina’s students ranked 34th nationally. Since reading is the gateway to learning in the higher grades – and the foundation for lifelong learning, this statistic is troubling.

Our eighth-graders performed better in math, ranking 24st in the nation. North Carolina’s graduation rate ranked 21st nationally.

From my perspective as someone who spent more than 37 years as a 7-12 classroom teacher and another 28 years as a part-time college instructor, weaknesses in the education of students stem from multiple problems.

The first problem is too much reliance on standardized testing to assess students. The more this state emphasized testing and test results, the worse true education became. I have a long-time teacher friend who begins each semester by telling her students: “I can spend this semester getting you ready to take the test – or I can teach you what I think you need to know and do three weeks of test prep at the end of the semester. What do you want me to do?”

Believe it or not, the students want her to teach them what they need to know, not just how to play the test-taking game. By packing her lessons with meaningful content, she not only equips her students with the tools to think and process more deeply, but her students perform well on the “assessments” at the end of the semester. Her students also do well when they move to the next educational level.

Perhaps the single most important influence outside of good teachers that impacts education is parental attitude. Parents often take little interest in their children’s schooling until a problem arises. I received a call from a mother concerned that her child failed my English III class.

“I just don’t understand,” she said. “He has been passing all semester.”

Now, that statement was true. Her son had carried a solid D- the entire semester. He gave just enough effort to try to pass – and not one bit more.

“Well, he failed because his grades were so low throughout the semester that he had to pass his final exam in order to pass the class,” I told this mom.

“What did he make on his final exam?” she asked.

“He made a 35,” I said. The pause that followed was palpable. Finally, she spoke.

“Why – that boy did not study a damn bit for that exam, did he?”

“I really cannot say for sure, but that would be my professional assessment.”

She thanked me and assured me her son would be spending his next few weeks in summer school.

Farmville Central issued report cards every six weeks, not every nine weeks as many schools do. At least twice during the semester, this mom had the opportunity to check her son’s grades and urge him to do better. She did not show concern until her concern came too late.

We often look at test results as a measure of how schools are doing. What we miss is that those scores reflect even more on a school’s community. Scores mirror how much a school’s community cares about educating its young people. We need to place importance on education – not test scores. 

Standardized tests do not inspire students to become lifelong learners. Ultimately, education is about helping students develop the ability to acquire additional knowledge about subjects of their choosing instead of learning how to take a standardized test. We need to dedicate ourselves to developing the minds of students, not raising test scores.

By the way, after years of being test crazy, beginning next school year, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction is getting rid of NCFinals and will be using just the ACT, WorkKeys, and End of Course tests (Math I, Math III, English II, and Biology) to evaluate and rank schools.

Our educational system suffers from the philosophy that schools exist to “make ‘em smart enough to work the factory line,” a model from the industrial age. Schools should not be running assembly lines designed to put students into little boxes. Again, that mentality reflects the community.

Please carefully consider the importance of your child’s education. Make it a priority in your life.

Mike Parker is a columnist for Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.