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Our governor wants Colorado children to take more tests in school, and critics point out that tests can corrupt the educational process in ways that soft-drink marketing contracts apparently do not.
If student performance on standardized tests were used to evaluate schools and teachers, then the teachers might well be tempted to aim their instruction toward doing well on the test. This could come at the expense of other important classroom matters like imparting holistic refusal skills, exercising zero tolerance and elevating self-esteem.
But if the tests were properly designed, so that they covered important real-world matters, then this problem would be solved. The people who pay for schools would have ways to find out whether their money is being spent well, and the people who attend the schools would acquire useful knowledge.
One thing I was often told in school is that it's wrong to just criticize -- you're supposed to offer a solution. And so, here are some proposed questions in various academic fields.
1) Mathematics: After consulting her rich friends, Promising Polly believes she can raise about $2 million for a political campaign in Colorado. Should she run for governor, a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, or the U.S. Senate?
2) On a busy Sunday afternoon in the winter, Driver A departs eastward from Vail at 4 p.m. At the same time, Driver B departs from Colorado Springs northward. Given that Vail is 98 miles west of Denver and Colorado Springs is 70 miles south of Denver, and that the speed limit is 75 mph, when and where will the two drivers meet?
3) Reading comprehension: Article 2, Section 7 of the
Constitution of the State of Colorado says The people
shall be secure in their persons, papers, homes and
effects, from unreasonable searches and seizures; and no
warrant to search any place or seize any person or things
shall issue without describing the place to be searched, or
the person or thing to be seized, as near as may be, nor
without probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation
reduced to writing.
Explain what this means.
4) Article 2, Section 14 of the Colorado Constitution
says Private property shall not be taken for private use
unless by consent of the owner, except for private ways of
necessity, and except for reservoirs, drains, flumes or
ditches on or across the lands of others, for agricultural,
mining, domestic or sanitary purposes.
Explain what
this means.
5) Geography: If an ENX drives through JX, UP and XH to look for a UFO in XU, what's going on?
6) Provide the proper place names for these sites: Copper Mountain, Corona Pass and Collegiate Range.
7) Civics: Merchant A has done business on Main Street of Smallville for more than 20 years, always contributing to local charities and supporting community media. Merchant B, an international enterprise, proposes building a big box on the outskirts of Smallville and intends to spend as little money as possible in Smallville, preferring direct mail and national television advertising. Assuming that the Smallville City Council wants to subsidize one business or the other with tax breaks and utility abatements, which one should get this benefit?
ANSWERS: 1) Polly should run for governor; the successful 1998 campaign cost $1,710,836. She's setting her sights too low if she runs for congress, since the third district seat cost only $590,817 in 1998. And she's not really senate material, since Ben Campbell collected $3,555,190 during his 1998 election cycle.
2) They will meet at 3 p.m. Monday in their insurance agent's office in Littleton, where both intend to file claims after getting caught in pile-ups at around 9 p.m. Sunday after hours of stop-and-go bumper-to-bumper driving on glare ice.
3) If you can explain what this means, you cannot be a district judge in or near Denver.
4) Absolutely nothing, in Arvada.
5) Some relative newcomer to Douglas County drives through El Paso, Frémont and Chaffee counties to look for unidentified flying objects in Saguache County. Note that this nomenclature is becoming obsolete because the state government is dominated by people who oppose having any county identification on license plates.
6) Copper Mountain is properly known as Wheeler Junction. Corona was the name of the railroad station at the apex of Rollins Pass. The Collegiate Peaks are part of the Sawatch Range; there is no Collegiate Range.
7) Merchant B will get the benefit, although if you can explain why, you're a better writer than I'll ever be.
Granted, this test could use some refinement, but do note that I'm available as a consultant for a mere $1,000 a day. One thing I didn't learn in school is how to make money, but I'm doing my best to catch up now.
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