Category Archives: Testing

New Testing Reduction Bill in Congress

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dmbtestRepresentatives Gibson and Sinema filed a bill to significantly change national testing policy.  The provisions would roll back testing from 14 to 6 required standardized tests.  The change is called ‘grade span’ testing.  H.R. 4172 would mandate testing for math and English Language Arts once in grades 3-5; once in grades 6-9, and once in grades 10-12.  This is the same requirement for science assessments.

This is a bipartisan bill sponsored by representatives from Arizona and New York.  A similar option was proposed by Senator Lamar Alexander.

Florida Tax Credit Scholarships Need The Light of Day

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business-257880_1280We will do a series of posts on educational issues likely to come up in the Florida legislative session.  We would like to hear from other states as well.  Let’s begin with the accountability of the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) scholarship program.

What are the children learning; where is the money going, and how is it spent?

Keeping track of the $86 million for 67, 142 students in over 1400 schools is no easy task.  Transparency issues in reporting have arisen in charter schools.   Senator Legg, Chair of the Education Committee indicated that remedies would be made.  How can he improve transparency in the private school sector for tax credit vouchers?

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EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEETING ON TESTING

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Florida capitolSenator Gaetz wants answers to a list of questions about testing. How much time do they take?  What happens if students do not take them.  Where are we on setting passing levels.  He wrote a letter to the Commissioner of Education, Pam Stewart.  She answers at the Senate Committee Meeting on Wednesday.  You can watch it.  Read on, more is happening.

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VAM: Teachers are More Than A Number

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teacher-590109_1280If as we hear, the best teachers tend to gravitate to where the better students are, how do we help low achieving students?

Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education, believes that a culture of ‘good enough’ exists in some schools that has to be changed.

Grading schools and teachers drives change to help students, so the argument goes.

Good teachers do make a difference in student learning in a school that supports their efforts.  How much students learn in a year, adjusted by other factors, is the value added measurement (VAM) used to identify good teachers.  This is a tricky business.  Even the experts do not agree how accurate they are.  Read to the end of the post, I saved the best until last.

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Helping Children, Not Test Scores

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team-150149_1280Florida’s DOE did a good thing for 3rd graders today.    We have been talking about NAEP results in Florida for fourth grade.  See Testing: Maybe we should require statistics.  I mentioned some published concerns about third grade retention policies that might skew fourth grade test results.  If students who fail FCAT are retained, then fourth grade NAEP scores should look better.  After all, the children who struggle the most are still in 3rd grade.  Guess what I found out today.  Children should do a happy dance.

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Testing: Maybe We Should Require Statistics?

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Seeing the World with Rose Colored GlassesThe Commissioner of Education, Pam Stewart did a presentation today about testing in Florida’s public schools.  Part of her comment about the impact of testing on student achievement in Florida was  unsettling, or just plain wrong.  In the video of the Education Appropriations Committee meeting today, she said Florida’s children from low-income families tested number one in the country and other groups were in the top 10.  It is a rosy view of the situation.

 

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Which are the Elephants in the Room?

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I read ‘The Man Behind Common Core Math‘ twice.  It is personal, candid, and gives a different perspective  of Common Core (CC).  Part of CCs development  was a happy accident.  Other parts had  unhappy consequences that must be addressed.  Motives and methods of for-profit testing companies are questioned.

Which are the elephants in the room, the Standards;  the Tests;  the power brokers’ funding, or the passing rates?  Let’s consider which of these babies we should throw out with the bath water.  You will find some useful sources and some interesting ideas.

 

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Are KIPP Charters the Answer? Depends upon the question…

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KIPP is reputed to be one of the most successful charter chains.  It serves low income minority students. U.S. DOE Secretary Duncan has praised KIPP charters.  Gary Chartrand, the Chair of the Florida Board of Education promotes them.  It has a ‘no excuses’ policy for behavior as well as high academic expectations for all students. Is KIPP success hype or real?  There are some things we need to know; let’s not make hasty judgments.  Read about their results.

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Call to Action: Respond to the USDOE Proposal to use VAM Scores for Colleges of Education

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standardized_testIf you want to have input on the USDOE proposal to rate colleges of education on the basis of their graduates’ VAM teaching evaluations, heed Diane Ravitch’s call to action.  The USDOE is seeking input until January 2, 2015.

 

Click on the following link to see how to respond to the USDOE proposal.  Note that the US LWV has no formal position, so please respond as an individual, not on behalf of the League.  See the following article for more information.

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