Overview:
Palau lawmakers are debating how student learning should be measured, as a new Senate bill calls for quarterly, curriculum-based assessments while the Ministry of Education continues to rely on U.S.-based IOWA tests. The proposal highlights a growing divide over whether Palau’s schools should be evaluated against local learning goals or international comparisons — a decision that could reshape classrooms nationwide.
By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang
NGERULMUD, Palau — Palau lawmakers are moving to reshape how student learning is measured, reigniting a long-running debate among educators and policymakers over whether schools should be judged against international comparisons or against clear, local learning standards.
On the opening day of the 5th Regular Session on Jan. 13, Sen. Andrew Tabelual and several colleagues introduced Senate Bill 12-47, proposing amendments to Title 22 of the Palau National Code related to education. The bill comes at a time when the Ministry of Education remains without a confirmed minister, adding urgency to concerns about direction and oversight.
The legislation calls for three major changes:
• Quarterly criterion-based assessments for students
• A national curriculum framework with clear benchmarks
• Expanded teacher training emphasizing instruction in the Palauan language
Tabelual said the proposed assessments would measure whether students are meeting specific learning goals tied to what is taught in classrooms.
“These assessment tests show whether students learned the pre-determined objectives of each subject and whether teachers achieved the pre-set benchmarks,” Tabelual said.
According to a Senate committee report, “students must be regularly assessed to demonstrate what they know and are able to do.”
Two tests, two philosophies
At the center of the debate is the difference between criterion-referenced assessments and norm-referenced tests, two approaches that answer very different questions about student performance .
Criterion-referenced assessments measure whether students have mastered specific skills or standards — such as reading at grade level or solving required math problems. Results show what students can or cannot do, regardless of how others perform.
Norm-referenced tests, by contrast, compare students to a large group, or “norm,” often drawn from the United States. Scores are typically reported in percentiles, showing how a student ranks relative to peers rather than what they have mastered.
Currently, Palau’s Ministry of Education relies heavily on the IOWA Assessment, a norm-referenced test widely used in the U.S. and U.S.-affiliated jurisdictions.
During Senate discussion, Tabelual said the IOWA test compares Palauan students to U.S. students whose cultural background, curriculum and learning environment differ significantly.
“A sample of students in the U.S. take these tests and create the norms that Palauan students are compared to,” he said.
He also noted that the IOWA assessments do not measure Palauan Studies, a core subject in local schools.
“One of our most important subjects isn’t measured at all,” Tabelual said.
Supporters of criterion-based testing argue that uniform assessments aligned to Palau’s own curriculum would better identify learning gaps at every level — from individual students to entire schools.
“When a uniform test is given at the same time, it provides valuable data on student learning relative to pre-determined benchmarks,” Tabelual said. “It identifies teaching and learning gaps from Kayangel to Angaur. These assessments best serve the interest of students.”
Ministry cites gains under IOWA testing
Education officials, however, say norm-referenced testing has shown measurable progress.
At a press conference three weeks ago, education adviser Dr. Dale Jenkins said IOWA results indicate broad improvement across student groups.
“It’s not just one group of students making dramatic gains — it’s a lot of students doing well,” Jenkins said.
He pointed to longitudinal data from the graduating Class of 2025. As eighth graders in 2021, the group averaged at the 29th percentile. By 2024, in 11th grade, they reached the 39th percentile — a 10-point gain.
That means Palauan students scored higher than about 39% of students in the comparison group, though still below the U.S. average of the 50th percentile.
Jenkins attributed the improvement to policy changes under the current administration, including year-round schooling, new academic programs and upgraded classrooms.
Curriculum and leadership concerns
Beyond testing, Senate Bill 12-47 would require the Ministry of Education to adopt a national curriculum framework setting learning benchmarks for every subject. It also mandates stronger teacher training focused on using the Palauan language as the primary medium of instruction.
Meanwhile, lawmakers in the House of Delegates have raised concerns about leadership gaps at the ministry.
During a recent session, Peleliu Delegate Soalablai urged action.
“Let’s ask the President to promptly appoint the ministers of Education and Finance,” he said. “Looking at education plans, such as the new school to be built in Ngchesar, we need a minister there to oversee such work.”
President Surangel Whipps Jr. has resubmitted Jenkins’ nomination to lead the Ministry of Education, saying stable leadership is critical.
“Completing the confirmation process is essential to providing stability at the Ministry of Education,” the president said.
Debate over Senate Bill 12-47 highlights a deeper question facing Palau’s education system: whether success should be measured by how students rank against others — or by how well they meet the nation’s own learning goals.