Computers Pulled On State Tests Equal Access Issue, But Critics Say Savvy Students Punished

Students taking the new state achievement tests will use pencils, not computers, and some educators complain that will put computer-literate students at a disadvantage.

The tests become mandatory at the fourth-grade level this spring. The seventh- and 10th-grade tests will be mandatory in 2000.

Some learning experts and teachers say the pencils could mean poorer writing and lower test scores for computer-savvy students. The language arts test, which makes up about half of the state exam, calls for written responses that are graded for content, organization and style.

But the 11-member state Commission on Student Learning, which is overseeing state education reform, says computers won’t be used until all students have access to them. This spring, only special-education students with disabilities will be allowed to use computers.

“It’s an issue of fairness,” said commission spokesman Marc Frazer. “Everybody has a pencil - we know that much. … Lots of schools don’t have computers.”

Pat Hegarty, an English teacher and assistant principal at Shorewood High School in Shoreline, said it’s unfair to students accustomed to writing on computers.

“It’s inequitable,” Hegarty said. “If the tests are truly going to be authoritative, then students should be able to produce text in the way they are most comfortable.”

Shorewood students, most of whom have written on computers for years, will be taking the first round of the new 10th-grade tests this spring, he said.

“Now we’ll have to start telling kids to write longhand instead of using computers,” Hegarty said.

The language arts portion of the exam assesses reading comprehension, analytical thinking, listening and other complex skills. Penmanship is not evaluated.

Calculators are allowed for the math portion.

Al Morasch, team director of Shoreline’s instructional services, said he understands the commission’s concern about equity.

“There’s no question that it gives kids an advantage if they write electronically,” Morasch said. Students who use computers employ a different writing process and can constantly amend their work, he said.

“My daughter can sit in front of a computer and write anything, but if she has to use a pen, it takes her forever,” said Sarah DuCette, co-president of the Shoreline Parent Teacher Association.

Bellevue High School students have been using computers for district writing assessments since last year, said Karla Walters, language arts curriculum specialist for the district. The computer spell-check and grammar-check functions are disabled, she said.

Some studies indicate that the earlier students master a computer keyboard, the more fluent they are at writing.