PSSA Panic and Paranoia: Effects on Student Teachers

Abstract

It has been several years since the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was renamedthe No Child Left Behind Act. In this major expansion of the federal role in education, the No Child LeftBehind (NCLB) Act of 2001 required annual testing, specified a method for judging schooleffectiveness, set a timeline for progress, and established specific consequences in the case of failure(Wenning, 2003). The Washington Post referred to it as the "broadest rewriting of federal educationpolicy in decades"(Milbank, 2002). The effects of the overwhelming pressure to perform well on thePennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests on teachers, students, and parents hadbrought about "PSSA Panic and Paranoia." Although strides have been made in overcoming the stressand pressure created by these tests, teachers (veteran and new), parents, and students are stillshowing signs of panic and paranoia. Now, young professionals entering this challenging field ofteaching are also affected by the implementation of the NCLB legislation. The domino effect isprofoundly influencing the education profession. The government pressures the state, the statepressures the schools, the schools pressure the educators, the educators pressure the parents andstudents, parents pressure the students and teachers, and finally, the students pressure themselves.Panic as defined by Dictionary.com Unabridged is "a sudden overwhelming fear, with or without cause,which produces hysterical or irrational behavior, and that often spreads quickly through a group.Paranoia is defined as "a baseless or excessive suspicion of the motives of others characterized bysystematized delusions and the projection of personal conflicts" (Random House, 2006). Signs of this"PSSA panic and paranoia" are still present today. Dedicated educators had embraced the challengethat President Bush put before them. Just as Ronald Edmonds had lectured years ago, teachersbelieve that effective schools do have closely monitored student achievement and orderly environmentscharacterized by high expectations. Upon recognizing the positive aspects of the legislation, it isimportant to recognize what it is lacking. Two of these weaknesses attributing to the panic andparanoia are the amount of skills tested in a specified time frame and unrealistic, not high,expectations placed on teachers and students.