Comments on: New state math scores reflect “measured gains,” officials say http://gothamschools.org/2009/06/01/new-state-math-scores-reflect-measured-gains-officials-say/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:27:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Rise & Shine: City has high scores, but few teachers at the top - Online Education in America http://gothamschools.org/2009/06/01/new-state-math-scores-reflect-measured-gains-officials-say/comment-page-1/#comment-131101 Rise & Shine: City has high scores, but few teachers at the top - Online Education in America Sat, 06 Jun 2009 11:12:51 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=15332#comment-131101 [...] Math scores are up; experts are urging caution before celebrating. (Times, Daily News, GothamSchools) [...] [...] Math scores are up; experts are urging caution before celebrating. (Times, Daily News, GothamSchools) [...]

]]> By: Aaron Pallas http://gothamschools.org/2009/06/01/new-state-math-scores-reflect-measured-gains-officials-say/comment-page-1/#comment-129106 Aaron Pallas Thu, 04 Jun 2009 04:28:46 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=15332#comment-129106 New York State hasn't released the technical reports for the 2008 and 2009 assessments, so it's difficult to say what's going on. I'm not sufficiently knowledgeable about psychometric theory to judge if the CTB/McGraw-Hill equating process does what it's supposed to do. I expect that we'll hear more about the features of the state testing system, and their implications for potential score inflation, in the next few months. New York State hasn’t released the technical reports for the 2008 and 2009 assessments, so it’s difficult to say what’s going on. I’m not sufficiently knowledgeable about psychometric theory to judge if the CTB/McGraw-Hill equating process does what it’s supposed to do. I expect that we’ll hear more about the features of the state testing system, and their implications for potential score inflation, in the next few months.

]]> By: mathteacher http://gothamschools.org/2009/06/01/new-state-math-scores-reflect-measured-gains-officials-say/comment-page-1/#comment-129025 mathteacher Thu, 04 Jun 2009 02:01:21 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=15332#comment-129025 That's appalling. In Massachusetts, the raw to scale conversions and cut scores float around a bit from year to year, both up and down by a point or two. However, I know that for 7th grade math from year to year the A/P cut is always about 90%+ and the P/NI cut is always about 70% and the NI/W cut is always about 50%. (FYI: A = 4, P = 3, NI = 2 and W =1 under your system). Your analysis is interesting and helps me to understand why NY has such a high proficiency rate these days in comparison to MA. Can anyone out there (Skoolboy?) figure out what part of the state's "improvement" is a result of this this change in cut scores? [Or did the tests just get harder? My understanding is that tests are supposed to stay relatively the same from year to year, right?] That’s appalling. In Massachusetts, the raw to scale conversions and cut scores float around a bit from year to year, both up and down by a point or two. However, I know that for 7th grade math from year to year the A/P cut is always about 90%+ and the P/NI cut is always about 70% and the NI/W cut is always about 50%. (FYI: A = 4, P = 3, NI = 2 and W =1 under your system). Your analysis is interesting and helps me to understand why NY has such a high proficiency rate these days in comparison to MA. Can anyone out there (Skoolboy?) figure out what part of the state’s “improvement” is a result of this this change in cut scores? [Or did the tests just get harder? My understanding is that tests are supposed to stay relatively the same from year to year, right?]

]]> By: gadfly1974 http://gothamschools.org/2009/06/01/new-state-math-scores-reflect-measured-gains-officials-say/comment-page-1/#comment-129002 gadfly1974 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 01:24:37 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=15332#comment-129002 My 7th graders only needed to earn 44% of available points to pass this exam. The problem is not the passing scaled score. 650 is a reasonable target. It's the consistent reduction of raw score points needed to earn 650 scaled points each year from 2006 through 2009 at every grade level. Please check out my website for additional analysis. NYC's progress compared with the Big 5 cities is outstanding, no doubt. But let's increase the transparency of CTB/McGraw Hill's raw score to scaled score conversion process so that the test makers can be held accountable by the public. My 7th graders only needed to earn 44% of available points to pass this exam.

The problem is not the passing scaled score. 650 is a reasonable target. It’s the consistent reduction of raw score points needed to earn 650 scaled points each year from 2006 through 2009 at every grade level.

Please check out my website for additional analysis.

NYC’s progress compared with the Big 5 cities is outstanding, no doubt. But let’s increase the transparency of CTB/McGraw Hill’s raw score to scaled score conversion process so that the test makers can be held accountable by the public.

]]> By: BestSeller Articles | BestSeller Articles http://gothamschools.org/2009/06/01/new-state-math-scores-reflect-measured-gains-officials-say/comment-page-1/#comment-128333 BestSeller Articles | BestSeller Articles Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:08:48 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=15332#comment-128333 [...] New land math scores emit “measured gains,” officials feature … [...] [...] New land math scores emit “measured gains,” officials feature … [...]

]]> By: Rise & Shine: City has high scores, but few teachers at the top - Online Education in America http://gothamschools.org/2009/06/01/new-state-math-scores-reflect-measured-gains-officials-say/comment-page-1/#comment-127230 Rise & Shine: City has high scores, but few teachers at the top - Online Education in America Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:36:29 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=15332#comment-127230 [...] Math scores are up; experts are urging caution before celebrating. (Times, Daily News, GothamSchools) [...] [...] Math scores are up; experts are urging caution before celebrating. (Times, Daily News, GothamSchools) [...]

]]> By: ceolaf http://gothamschools.org/2009/06/01/new-state-math-scores-reflect-measured-gains-officials-say/comment-page-1/#comment-126964 ceolaf Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:39:25 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=15332#comment-126964 The Dissenter, This kind of increase would be consistent with a ceiling effect, as the highest scoring groups are increasing the least. As NYC has proportionally more of the lower scoring groups, its composite increase would be greater. There's a quick and dirty way to check this, of course. Did white students in the city improve by more than than the rest of the state? Did Hispanic students? Black? Low SES students? If so, we can look a little closer. Otherwise, it wouldn't be that the city did better, just that the city has different demographics than the rest of the state. The Dissenter,

This kind of increase would be consistent with a ceiling effect, as the highest scoring groups are increasing the least. As NYC has proportionally more of the lower scoring groups, its composite increase would be greater.

There’s a quick and dirty way to check this, of course. Did white students in the city improve by more than than the rest of the state? Did Hispanic students? Black? Low SES students? If so, we can look a little closer. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be that the city did better, just that the city has different demographics than the rest of the state.

]]> By: Gotham Gazette - The Wonkster » Blog Archive » Adding Up the Math Scores http://gothamschools.org/2009/06/01/new-state-math-scores-reflect-measured-gains-officials-say/comment-page-1/#comment-126596 Gotham Gazette - The Wonkster » Blog Archive » Adding Up the Math Scores Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:04:49 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=15332#comment-126596 [...] state released scores on its standardized math test today, and the largely positive results quickly became fodder in the [...] [...] state released scores on its standardized math test today, and the largely positive results quickly became fodder in the [...]

]]> By: Dissenter http://gothamschools.org/2009/06/01/new-state-math-scores-reflect-measured-gains-officials-say/comment-page-1/#comment-126592 Dissenter Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:40:00 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=15332#comment-126592 Bravo!! Now let's wait for the naysayers and Negative Nancys to show up. If NYC's scale score went up more than the rest of the State, that's always a great thing. I can remember when the percent of students testing as proficient in the five boroughs was struggling in the 40s back when the City used to give its own exams. Also, if almost 90% of the students in the State are proficient in math (did I read that correctly?), then I think it is probably time for NY State to raise the passing scale score. Let's raise the bar. That's good for all the kids. Bravo!! Now let’s wait for the naysayers and Negative Nancys to show up. If NYC’s scale score went up more than the rest of the State, that’s always a great thing. I can remember when the percent of students testing as proficient in the five boroughs was struggling in the 40s back when the City used to give its own exams. Also, if almost 90% of the students in the State are proficient in math (did I read that correctly?), then I think it is probably time for NY State to raise the passing scale score. Let’s raise the bar. That’s good for all the kids.

]]>