AFT’s Weingarten on PISA Report’s Focus on Teen Students’ Well-Being

WASHINGTON—Statement by American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s 2015 PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) results released today on students’ well-being:

“Today’s PISA results may not capture the headlines that the country rankings do, but they are more important: The results make crystal clear that students’ well-being matters. Countries and schools that do well fight the fixation on testing, focusing instead on children’s joy in and out of the classroom. They maintain a bully-free and inclusive environment, form partnerships with parents and community, and limit internet use. This data debunks President Trump’s proposed federal funding cuts for programs like child nutrition, wraparound services in schools, school climate, and before- and after-school programs, and reaffirms why these programs have been funded for decades.

“Congress recognized with the new federal education law enacted in 2015 that helping every student succeed involves measuring more than test scores—and that includes valuing parental and educator voice, reducing stress, and providing access to a rich and meaningful curriculum.

“Nearly 68 percent of U.S. teens reported testing anxiety, higher than the OECD average of 55.5 percent. By contrast, 45.1 percent of Polish teens reported feeling testing pressure. In 2000, Poland made significant changes in its public education system, including using tests only to inform instruction. Poland is now among the top-performing nations.

“The results confirm the four pillars for improving America’s schools that I outlined earlier this year, including promoting children’s well-being to meet their academic, enrichment, social and health needs. Our children win when all kids—boys and girls, disadvantaged or not, citizen and immigrant—are motivated and given the chance to succeed, and when schools focus less on testing and more on preparing students for school, career and life.”