State not preparing to handle Gateway score appeals

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — Lawmakers authorized state education officials to allow some students to appeal their failing Gateway exam scores needed to graduate from high school, but education officials say they do not plan to create a petition process.

Tennessee students must pass Gateway exams in English, biology and algebra to receive their diplomas. The Legislature passed a bill that allows students to petition to the state Board of Education for extra points based on classroom performance and achievement to graduate.

The board has discussed the situation but has no plans to begin work on an appeals process, Executive Director Gary Nixon said.

“The board has indicated that most of the (feedback) they are receiving is that existing standards are too low,” he said.

Rep. Tommie Brown, D-Chattanooga, who sponsored the bill, said she expects the board to talk about the petition process in a December meeting.

“To immediately create a process and then pass students would lower standards,” Brown said. “That is not our intent. But my position with (the state board) is they do not have 25 years to get this done.”

The National Center for Fair and Open Testing, which has been critical of schools relying too much on standardized tests, has urged Tennessee officials to have an appeals process ready by next spring, executive director Monty Neill said.

“The question is to find a way to compensate students who have equivalent knowledge to the (passing score) but don’t demonstrate it well on that particular test,” Neill said. “Yes, Tennessee should think about standards, but research has shown that some people clearly do suffer from test anxiety.”