Lower Standards Won’t Translate to Lower Expectations on Student Tests

State Education Commissioner Kent King says he will not ask the State Board of Education to lower expectations for student test scores, but he does expect the board to lower the standards for rating students as “proficient” in reading and math. A state law says Missouri’s competency standards cannot be tougher than those set by the the federal No Child Left Behind law. King says students taking the Missouri Assessment Program tests next Spring won’t notice any difference in the tests. But the evaluation of the results will be evaluated differently. The federal law demands all students be proficient in reading and math within ten years. King says it’s going to be a stretch to reach those levels, even with a reduction in standards.