More on National Student Database

There is a lengthy article in September’s issue of The Washington Monthly about the new national educational database proposed by the Department of Education. It’s written by Kevin Carey, who is a research and policy manager at Education Sector. Carey is a strong supporter of the database and believes it will help parents, students, and policymakers accurately judge the effectiveness of institutions of higher education. I think several of his arguments make problematic assumptions about the very nature and purpose of education. He also shows a very startling naiveté about the ability of Congress to protect student privacy.

Carey argues that achievement could be measured by a standardized test aimed at evaluating the ability of college students to engage in “higher-order critical thinking, analysis, and communication skills.” He specifically cites a test developed by a group of high-profile educators called the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The NSSE was designed to be an alternative the U.S. News and World Report rankings and is already being used by many colleges and universities.

The problem with a national standardized test is that there is such a wide range of educational institutions in the United States. A student from a small liberal arts college is getting an extremely different education than someone who goes to a large research university. In addition, it’s nearly impossible to quantitatively measure what students should be getting out of a college experience. High schools are all supposed to emphasize certain subject areas like math, social studies, and science. Colleges are very different from high school and national standardized test would impose an orthodoxy that simply does not exist.

It is also troubling to assume that colleges and universities should all be producing the same kind of experience for students. Carey and other supporters of the test seem to see education as a tool for students to increase their future earnings. They want college education to be an experience that teaches young people to model employees. Education should be about way more than the bottom line. In a democratic society, college education should prepare youth to be active participants in civic society and encourage intellectual curiosity. Can that really be measured by a national test?

There is also the question of student privacy. Casey dismisses this argument by claiming that any national test could be regulated by strict regulation designed to protect the rights of students. That might be a reasonable argument if the White House and Congress were populated by politicians who have respect for the rule of law. However, President Bush has already made clear that he will disregard any laws that he deems unconstitutional. If Congress included privacy provisions in a national student database, officials in the Bush Administration would undoubtedly ignore those provisions under the guise of Homeland Security. The recent revelations about FBI use of normally private student records should also be pause for concern.