Test-takers in Illinois can now check multiple boxes for ethnic group membership, thanks to a reversal of a more restrictive policy (free registration required):
Illinois Supt. of Education Robert Schiller announced the change to the policy--which some mixed-race students and their parents had found offensive--in a bulletin sent to all school districts across the state. In addition the academic progress of these students will now get tracked and that information will be presented on the Illinois School Report Card--something that was not done before in this state.
The decision followed a Tribune report that the Illinois State Board of Education would be eliminating the racial category of "other" on standardized tests, including the Illinois Standards Achievement Tests and Prairie State Achievement Exam.
Students are asked to identify their race so that school districts can be held accountable for the academic progress of different racial groups.
Although this reversal seems like a popular compromise, some parents would have preferred to have the "Other" option for their kids.
Posted by kswygert at January 20, 2004 12:39 PM