Comments on: State considering big changes to standardized tests for next year http://gothamschools.org/2010/02/08/state-considering-big-changes-to-standardized-tests-for-next-year/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:27:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dee Alpert http://gothamschools.org/2010/02/08/state-considering-big-changes-to-standardized-tests-for-next-year/comment-page-1/#comment-254624 Dee Alpert Wed, 10 Feb 2010 08:18:53 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=32496#comment-254624 NYS is one of the few states which have schools and districts grade their own students' exams such as the Regents tests. The NYS Comptroller reported recently that when State Ed.'s re-graders find that districts/schools have inappropriately inflated their students' test scores, absolutely nothing is done about it, which is the same finding NYS Comptroller Ned Regan made in a 1991 audit report. We can argue about test content 'till we're blue in the face, but until the test grading scheme is changed, and grading is taken completely out of the hands of those who have a personal interest in the grades, we're all blowing talking through our hats. Then there's the fact that NYSED sets test cut scores for passing/failing levels anew every year, and does so in complete secrecy. This makes the ultimate test grades utterly and completely massage-able. The NYS testing system is thoroughly discredited. It - along with all responsible for this state of affairs - should be thrown out and a competent testing system, starting with test creation and ending with test scoring and grade reporting, should be set up to replace it. If the whole system isn't reformed, improving one part, i.e., test content, can and will be effectively cancelled by games played in another. If we discipline kids who cheat on tests, why aren't the adults who cheat on the test creation and test grading system disciplined as well? The fish rots from the head ... . NYS is one of the few states which have schools and districts grade their own students’ exams such as the Regents tests. The NYS Comptroller reported recently that when State Ed.’s re-graders find that districts/schools have inappropriately inflated their students’ test scores, absolutely nothing is done about it, which is the same finding NYS Comptroller Ned Regan made in a 1991 audit report. We can argue about test content ’till we’re blue in the face, but until the test grading scheme is changed, and grading is taken completely out of the hands of those who have a personal interest in the grades, we’re all blowing talking through our hats.

Then there’s the fact that NYSED sets test cut scores for passing/failing levels anew every year, and does so in complete secrecy. This makes the ultimate test grades utterly and completely massage-able.

The NYS testing system is thoroughly discredited. It – along with all responsible for this state of affairs – should be thrown out and a competent testing system, starting with test creation and ending with test scoring and grade reporting, should be set up to replace it. If the whole system isn’t reformed, improving one part, i.e., test content, can and will be effectively cancelled by games played in another.

If we discipline kids who cheat on tests, why aren’t the adults who cheat on the test creation and test grading system disciplined as well? The fish rots from the head … .

]]> By: Karen Sherwood http://gothamschools.org/2010/02/08/state-considering-big-changes-to-standardized-tests-for-next-year/comment-page-1/#comment-254481 Karen Sherwood Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:48:34 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=32496#comment-254481 Hip, Hip, Hurray!!! Goodbye and good riddance to the two-day ELA..and to the entire "new" Regents--if only that were possible. The old Regents was a much better test; it tested actual English skills and it had a composition section which allowed students to demonstrate their ability to organize and develop an original essay. The old listening section was also quite different; it was a much shorter passage--about 3-5 minutes. Students had to listen to one reading (and they were not allowed to take notes), look at the multiple choice questions, select tentative answers, and then look at the questions throughout the second reading. On the new Regents, they were allowed to take notes, (which they'd need to write the essay) but they were not allowed to look at the questions until after the second reading. The test writers also selected so many horrible listening passages. I think the worst one is still one of the earlier ones which dealt with women's voting rights in 18th century England. Plus, we don't need two days and four task-related essays to know whether or not students can read and write. Many students failed automatically by missing one of the days. Even the SAT is only one day. I hope that the new one-day test is an improvement. I don't think it could be any worse. There will probably be an immediate improvement in Regents passing scores and graduation rates-( though it will come too late for Columbus H.S. and the other doomed schools) and I'm sure Mayor Mike will take full credit for the improvement without noting the drastc change to the exam. Apples and oranges again. Hip, Hip, Hurray!!! Goodbye and good riddance to the two-day ELA..and to the entire “new” Regents–if only that were possible. The old Regents was a much better test; it tested actual English skills and it had a composition section which allowed students to demonstrate their ability to organize and develop an original essay. The old listening section was also quite different; it was a much shorter passage–about 3-5 minutes. Students had to listen to one reading (and they were not allowed to take notes), look at the multiple choice questions, select tentative answers, and then look at the questions throughout the second reading. On the new Regents, they were allowed to take notes, (which they’d need to write the essay) but they were not allowed to look at the questions until after the second reading. The test writers also selected so many horrible listening passages. I think the worst one is still one of the earlier ones which dealt with women’s voting rights in 18th century England. Plus, we don’t need two days and four task-related essays to know whether or not students can read and write. Many students failed automatically by missing one of the days. Even the SAT is only one day. I hope that the new one-day test is an improvement. I don’t think it could be any worse. There will probably be an immediate improvement in Regents passing scores and graduation rates-( though it will come too late for Columbus H.S. and the other doomed schools) and I’m sure Mayor Mike will take full credit for the improvement without noting the drastc change to the exam. Apples and oranges again.

]]> By: NYC Educator http://gothamschools.org/2010/02/08/state-considering-big-changes-to-standardized-tests-for-next-year/comment-page-1/#comment-254479 NYC Educator Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:28:24 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=32496#comment-254479 As a matter of fact, they are completely altering the English Regents exam, cutting it to one day and most certainly altering the content. Perhaps they forgot. It's good to know the future of our children is in such supremely competent hands. As a matter of fact, they are completely altering the English Regents exam, cutting it to one day and most certainly altering the content. Perhaps they forgot. It’s good to know the future of our children is in such supremely competent hands.

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