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MARGIN NOTES
November 17, 2009
New York State gave more breaks on national test than most
New York State gave more extra time and other accommodations to fourth grade students on the national math exam than any other state in the nation.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the nation’s report card, shows that in 2009, New York State gave accommodations to 89 percent of eligible fourth-graders. The national average was 50 percent.
On the math exam for eighth grade students, New York came in second to Florida for giving extra help. Whereas the national average was 54 percent in 2009, Florida’s accommodation rate was 82 percent and New York’s was 81 percent.
Testing students with accommodations can mean anything from giving them extra time to take the test, reading the directions and questions aloud to them, or translating the test into the students’ native language. Students who have physical impairments like blindness and mental ones like Attention Deficit Disorder are eligible for accommodations. Students who are not proficient in English are also eligible.
New York State also gave more accommodations to fourth graders than any other state in 2007. That year, a separate city-by-city comparison showed that New York City gave more help than any of the ten other major cities, leading some testing experts to suggest that the city’s results be considered invalid.
The number of New York City students receiving legally allowed accommodations more than doubled between 2003 and 2007, a fact the city Department of Education has attributed to state policies encouraging more English language learners to take the tests.
Results, as well as accommodation rates, for New York City students from the 2009 math test have yet to be published.
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November 17th, 2009 4:33 pm
NYS and NYC parents work hard to make sure that their students are provided with all of the accommodations and modifications that the law allows and are appropriate. Teams of people make these decisions to provide these services. it is often a hard fought and contentious effort…no walk in the park for parents or students
Given what I know about the stinginess of services in other states, I think NY and NYC should be complimented on thier efforts to offer appropriate accomodations to students with special needs.
There is no evidence that accommodations should be considered as invalidating the results of tests. In fact the reaserch shows that, when accommodations are provided to students, these students do no better, nor any worse than, their non disabled peers.
The fact that the tests theselves may be easier is something that the State needs to deal with as soon as possible. -
November 17th, 2009 9:46 pm
Interesting article, and comment by Ellen.
Makes me wonder how many kids in OTHER states are receiving unfairly LOW test scores for LACK of adequate accommodation.
I may be reading too much between the lines, but if those other states provided as much accommodation as NYS…
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