Reading Test Retake Possible At PS 174

When third grade students at PS 174 in Rego Park finished the required English Language Arts (ELA) test one of two exams critical in determining if they advance to the fourth grade one can imagine the collective sigh of relief of the test takers and their parents. But it would seem their relief was premature because many of those eight- and nine-year-olds may have to retake the 50-question reading comprehension test that they sat for on April 20.
The cause of the possible do-over is that 20 questions from the test were based on a passage that was duplicated in preparation materials issued by the Department of Education (DOE).
Now the DOE is calling on parents to choose between taking the test again or being graded on only the 30 remaining questions. Forms were distributed that asked parents to choose between the two options and some parents, like Terri Michaels-Kurtz, were outraged that their children were being penalized for the DOEs mistake. When she received the form, Michaels-Kurtz began reaching out to other parents, urging them to write in a third option.
"All we know is that its not the fault of these children," she said. "These children should not be discriminated against because they were diligent in doing their homework. I wanted the DOE to know that Im not happy with their choices so Im picking my own. I wanted them to recognize that there is opposition."
While some parents chose one of the two options, others put their wishes into their own words or didnt return the form. The latter then received notices stating that if they did not choose one of the two offered options, their children would be automatically slated to retake the test.
"I have been led to understand that the DOE is not accepting any other options and this has put tremendous stress on the teachers and the principal, who have to approach the parents to get an answer," said Michaels-Kurtz, who believes that every New York City third grader should be given the same chances. "Grade everyone on 30 questions, grade our children on the original 50 questions or throw the test out in its entirety."
Councilwoman Melinda Katz agrees.
"I am calling on the Schools Chancellor to either grade everyone who took the test on the same number of questions or admit that this test was flawed and throw the test out in its entirety," she said.
In a letter sent to New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, Katz explained why re-administering the test would be unfair to students. She wrote, "…it is inherently unequal and unfair to grade a certain set of student exams differently than the rest of the citys third graders. These children are being forced to pay for the mistakes of the city."
It remains unclear whether the DOE will acknowledge those parents that have asked for a third option for their children.
"Yes, the children recognized the passage, but not whether the questions were identical to those in the study packet," said Michaels-Kurtz. "Out of the hundreds and hundreds of passages and pretests theyve been working on since October, this was just one of them."
In a petition filed by Katz with the New York State Supreme Court, she stated that if the students are forced to retake the exam, then it is incumbent on the DOE to alleviate the pressure by allowing the higher of the two scores to be used in determining promotion.
"If there is nothing else I can do, my daughter will have to take the test again, but hopefully it wont come to that," said Michaels-Kurtz.