Tests, like thermometers, are useful: ; Students deserve improved testing, higher standards

AS Americans weigh their quadrennial decision over whether aRepublican or a Democrat will get to be America's latest "educationpresident," the big pitched battle is once again over governanceand, of course, money - where it ought to come from, how to spend itand who decides. These issues are important. But there's anotherbattle underway, over standardized testing, that could have far moreto do with the quality of U.S. education.

To the narrow band of emerging anti-testing cultists, the troublewith education is not that millions of students can't read, do mathor write.The problem is the tests that tell us so.

To these critics, all tests are alike - designed to demoralize ordisenfranchise certain segments of the student population. Theycouldn't be more wrong.

Certainly bad tests should be scrapped. And tests aren't the onlymeasure for determining how our children and schools are doing.

But high-quality tests are a legitimate instrument for measuringactual learning. No successful institution in the world pursues astrategic direction without establishing performance benchmarks andcontinuously measuring progress.

For more than 40 states, the days of multiple-choice tests thatrequired teachers to set aside real learning and teach test-takingskills are fading. Today's tests often include open-ended questions,demand writing samples and require students to show what they know.

The new tests ask students to solve complex mathematics problemsand explain solutions, to critically examine literary techniques andarticulate their thinking in written essays.

This kind of testing leads to better teaching. It also tellselected officials and educators where they ought to direct resourcesand efforts.

That's a far cry from drills in information regurgitation. On therecent New York state test for 11th-graders, 92 percent passed thenew, tougher test in English language arts.

The rest of the developed world is years ahead of us on thisissue, and their students' performance shows it.

Despite what you hear from testing critics, support for higherstandards and tests is strong in this country, widespread andanchored where it counts: with parents and the taxpaying public. Apoll by the American Federation of Teachers documented deep supportfor standards and assessments among teachers as well.

Blaming a good test for bad teaching, isolated cheating incidentsor the lowering of students' self-esteem is convenient, but it'sabout as useful as claiming that thermometers cause fevers.

We need testing to tell us whether we have a problem. It's up tosmart people - in government, school administration, teaching andthe ranks of parents - to solve it.

There will always be entrenched special interests and critics whofundamentally question whether schools and students should be heldto any standards at all. They often sound as if they speak asadvocates for the kids.

Don't be misled. True advocates for the kids look for ways toelevate student achievement, not hold fast to the status quo.

Testing won't elevate standards overnight. Getting from here tothere will involve short-term pain that ought to be shared, notborne by children, teachers or parents alone.

More challenging tests will initially result in lower scores. Butas we've seen in case after case, teachers, students and the systemitself consistently rise to meet the higher level of expectation,especially if they get extra help.

North Carolina and Texas - two states with the largest educationgains, according to a Rand study - are showcase examples of whathappens when we have the courage to stick with high standards andhigh-stakes testing.

Educators and education officials must focus on the work beforeus and answer important questions:

- Are the academic expectations clear and understood by schools,students and parents?

- Have they been benchmarked against expectations for students inother communities and countries?

- Do schools and teachers have the lessons and curriculum alignedwith both standards and tests and the support to get the job done?

The response to challenges posed by higher standards is not tolower them or roll back on testing, but to improve both, administerthem fairly and give our kids a shot at the kind of qualityeducation that they deserve and we should demand.

Gerstner is chairman and chief executive officer of IBM.