Testing Times

As of March 2000, the partial variance is only a partial victory. Keeping in mind that the five exams are being gradually phased in, this year's seniors are exempt from their only required exam, specifically English Language Arts. This year's juniors, however, must take, and pass, the English Language Arts exam to graduate, though they are exempt from the requisite state math exam, the second exam to be phased in. The current sophomores and freshmen have no exemptions – they must pass four and five exams, respectively, in English language arts, math, world history, American history, and science, as all five mandated exams will be required of the Class of 2003.

Despite the commissioner's ruling, the fight is not over. The Durant School, both alone and with the alliance, continues to devise strategy, lobby for supporters, and struggle to attain a full and complete variance. The activist spirit in which this school was created is alive and well, and it offers hope, 30 years later. In particular, it offers a model of how a socio-political process of advocacy and campaigning can turn the juggernaut of external forces in ways that benefit the educational endeavour. For, contrary to the position of the standards movement proponents, educational success, as epitomized by this school, is indeed attainable through the efforts of internal agents—coalitions of teachers, students, and parents. These are the only agents who can truly know a particular school, thus possess the insight to determine what makes it "succeed" in the most profound sense of the word, and not as a simplistic reduction to a standardized test score.

Notes

1. Mayor's letter to State Education Commissioner, June 28, 1999.
2. Goodson, I. (Forthcoming) Social Histories of Educational Change Theory in The International Journal of Educational Change.

This report originates from a research study entitled “Change Over Time,” funded by the Spencer Foundation. Our thanks for their continued support.