Student Assessment & Testing
District 8
Read the Omaha World Herald article: State ed board candidates spar over Nebraska test scores, hot-button issues HERE
Deb neary:
Recently my comments regarding the use of proficiency testing have been take out of context and used by my opponent to say that I oppose proficiency testing for students. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I am proud that Nebraska is rated the 9th best state in the country for public education. This rating was released by NAEP, the "National Assessment of Educational Progress" (aka the Nationals' Report Card) and is a mandated requirement by Congress. NAEP is the only national measurement that uses the same test for all students. This kind of testing tells us that our Nebraska students will be competitive on a national and international stage when they graduate.
As a State Board Member I spend a great deal of time talking with NDE staff to explore the best options for fulfilling our state and federal testing requirements, while also balancing the local school district preferences. I have worked closely with many Omaha Superintendents regarding these discussions. I certainly believe that proficiency testing is important and definitely does provide a valuable snapshot for a student at a particular point in time. The use of proficiency testing is valuable for teachers and parents. But my comments were in the context of the national testing and Nebraska's ranking do not mean that I oppose proficiency testing. If you would like more information about this issue and my position the Omaha World Herald covered this discussion in detail in their September 28, 2022, story titled "State Ed Board candidates spar over Nebraska test scores, hot button issues."