Last spring’s national testing program has been the subject of some controversy here on Vashon and across the nation.

The standardized testing debate is spirited, some calling into question test validity, some questioning the class time devoted to testing and others discussing whether to opt their student out of the testing. As we consider our path forward, I think it is important to reflect and to forecast the role that testing and progress monitoring plays in our district.

This past week student score reports were mailed to parents. What does all of this really mean for Vashon Island’s public schools?  Here are my thoughts:

Our primary focus is to nurture a school culture and practice that achieves our mission to “equip every student to engage, thrive, and contribute in an ever-changing world.” Our faculty and staff are committed to the development of the “whole” child in which each develops a love and personal passion for learning, explores and embraces individual gifts and passions, learns to become a contributing citizen and develops essential life and academic skills with plans for continued growth.

A standardized assessment does not exist that measures all of the important characteristics I have listed above, and no test result will be an accurate measure of the quality of our teaching, nor the performance of our students vis-à-vis the mission we embrace.  A large part of successfully achieving our mission cannot be measured by a simple test metric. Frankly, the energy and time invested in the testing regime and surrounding debate last spring became a huge distraction, and we must minimize its impact and focus on what is most important: teaching and fostering a love of learning.

It is an absolute truth that the skill and passion of our teachers hold the key to each student’s achievement of the characteristics in our mission, and each of you must support our teachers to thrive so that our children will thrive. Our faculty and staff have opened this year by reaffirming that our mission is the center of our schools. We are committing time and resources for cooperative planning, integrating thematic lessons and planning for the meaningful recognition of students and staff.

Finally, we have lots of latitude to shape the culture and learning in our schools.  I wish to clarify, forecast and declare the following for Vashon’s schools:

• Our mission is our core —  we will equip every student to engage, thrive and contribute.

• Our teachers are our greatest resource and the heart of our schools. Through teacher leadership, we will continue to coordinate action and support each other to accomplish our mission.

• Our creative and engaging programs, curricula and teacher-created units will continue to be our focus while we intentionally find ways to integrate the common core standards.

• Any preparation for state tests will be minimal and only designed to reduce stress for students. Such test results may produce some information for us, though we will continue to recognize that state tests do not measure the achievement of our mission.

• Teachers will continue to design and use curriculum-based assessments and diagnostic assessments as needed to monitor student progress on our learning targets and to adjust instruction accordingly.

• We will acknowledge and recognize the many, and often unmeasurable, successes of our students and staff.

• We will continue to invite our parents and community into our schools to help shape and deliver an engaging, rigorous and joyful educational experience to all students.

The testing debate has fostered a useful discussion that I plan to continue, and it has provided a means to re-center on the important work we do.

Thank you for your continuing support.

— Michael Soltman is the superintendent of the Vashon Island School District.