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Subcategory: Assessment and Accountability
District Nixes Cash-for-Grades Fundraiser
Nov 12 2009 - The News & Observer
Selling candy didn't raise much money last year, so a Goldsboro middle school tried selling grades. However, the fundraiser came to an abrupt halt after a story in The News & Observer raised concerns about the practice of selling grades.
Experts, Public to Weigh In on Common Tests
Oct 21 2009 - Education Week
As 48 states charge ahead with plans to adopt common academic standards, the U.S. Department of Education will enlist experts and the public to help design a $350 million competition for the next step: the development of common tests.
Study Finds That Online Education Beats the Classroom
Aug 20 2009 - New York Times (requires free registration)
A recent 93-page report on online education, conducted by SRI International for the Department of Education, concludes that, "[o]n average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction." The report examined the comparative research on online versus traditional classroom teaching from 1996 to 2008—some of it in K–12 settings, but most in colleges and adult continuing-education programs of various kinds, from medical training to the military.
Pilot Found to Boost AP Participation Rate
Aug 11 2009 - Education Week
A two-year effort by the National Governors Association to expand Advanced Placement programs in six states resulted in a 65% increase in student enrollment in those introductory college-level courses and an even bigger increase among minority students, according to a new report.
Study Disputes "Plateau Effect" in Test Scores
Jul 23 2009 - Education Week
One of the common beliefs about testing in the era of accountability hinges on the notion that student test scores improve rapidly in the first few years of a new testing program as teachers and students adjust, followed by a "plateau" in scores after the early gains.
Computer Tool Sizes Up Math, Science Policies
Jul 9 2009 - Education Week
A team of engineers, members of the business community, and education supporters have designed a
“simulation and modeling” computer tool that crunches vast amounts of data about students,
teachers, and the workforce, and evaluates various mathematics and science education policies.
Georgia Could Toss Suspect Math Exam Results
Jul 9 2009 - The Boston Globe
Georgia could become the latest state to punish schools caught cheating on standardized tests, becoming another example of what some observers call an alarming trend of educators caving under the pressure to meet federal achievement standards.
Studies Probe "Value-Added" Measures
Jul 1 2009 - Education Week
A new study suggests that "value-added" methods for determining the effectiveness of classroom teachers may be misleading. Value-added assessments measure the effectiveness of schools and teachers by measuring the gains that their students make on standardized tests over the course of a school year.
National Education Accountability Requires Overhaul
Jun 29 2009 - EducationNews.org
Test scores in reading and math alone cannot describe a school's contributions to the full range of student outcomes. Instead, a new accountability system that combines testing with qualitative evaluation is needed to replace the discredited No Child Left Behind Act.
Students Say Using Tech to Cheat Isn't Cheating
Jun 19 2009 - eSchool News
A new poll suggests that students are using cell phones and the internet to cheat on school exams. What's surprising, however, is not just the alarming number of students who say they cheat but also the number who think it's OK to do so.
NCLB Found to Raise Scores Across Spectrum
Jun 18 2009 - Education Week
Scores for "advanced" and "basic" students rose in nearly three-fourths of tests studied, almost as much as those labeled "proficient," a new study finds.
Alternative Testing on the Rise
Jun 9 2009 - The Washington Post (requires free registration)
Virginia expands the use of "portfolio" testing, which has long been used for in-depth evaluations because they can gauge more skills and higher-order thinking.
University High School Hopes Success Can Be Engineered
Jun 2 2009 - Los Angeles Times
A new Engineering Academy program aims to inspire students and prepare them for careers.
Poor Attention in Kindergarten Predicts Lower High School Test Scores
Jun 1 2009 - Science Daily
A new study shows a clear link between attention problems early in school—as early as kindergarten—and lower high school test scores.
Study Sees Small Average Gains from College Test Coaching
May 20 2009 - The Washington Post (requires free registration)
Coaching for standardized college admission tests yields relatively small average gains of about 30 points overall, according to a study released today that nevertheless urges students to prepare, because even a slight improvement can boost their chances of getting into some schools.
Firing Tenured Teachers Can Be a Costly and Tortuous Task
May 4 2009 - Los Angeles Times
An LA Times investigation found that the process of firing a tenured teacher is so arduous that many principals don't even try, except in the very worst cases.
U.S. Educational Skills Improve; Learning Gap Stagnates
Apr 28 2009 - USA Today
The basic math and reading skills of U.S. students have slowly, surely improved over the past 30 to 40 years, new findings show, with sharp increases among many of the nation's lowest-performing students—especially in the past four years.
Assessment Is Widespread
Apr 28 2009 - Inside Higher Ed
A study being released today by the Association of American Colleges and Universities finds that in fact assessment has been well accepted for years at most colleges, and is widespread, complete with learning outcomes.
Study: Kids on ADHD Medication Score Higher on Tests
Apr 27 2009 - CBS News
Children on medicine for attention deficit disorder scored higher on academic tests than their unmedicated peers in the first large, long-term study suggesting this kind of benefit from the widely used drugs.
Michigan Considers Changing Teacher Licensing Rules
Apr 14 2009 - Detroit Free Press
Education leaders in Michigan are considering making the state's teachers prove they're good at what they do to get and maintain a license. But there's no agreed-upon way to measure a teacher's effectiveness in the classroom. New Mexico is the only state so far to tie teacher licensing to effectiveness, and now Michigan has begun discussions to come up with a new system for licensing teachers.
Science Is Failing to Inspire Some
Apr 10 2009 - The Houston Chronicle
A growing number of scientists say students are learning to hate science. Advocates cite many problems with science education, such as teachers lacking a science background. But perhaps the most critical issue, they say, is standardized testing that forces students to memorize and regurgitate.
Enrollment up in State-Funded Pre-K Programs
Apr 9 2009 - USA Today
The recession could spell trouble for the nation's youngest schoolchildren, despite positive trends in spending and enrollment for state pre-K programs, according to a new report. At least nine states are likely to make cuts to pre-kindergarten programs including some of the biggest—California, Florida, and New York.
The Impact of Dropping the SAT
Mar 30 2009 - Insider Higher Ed
A new research study—based on simulations using actual student applications at competitive colleges that require the SAT or ACT for admission—has found that ending the requirement would lead to demonstrable gains in the percentages of black and Latino students, and working class or economically disadvantaged students, who are admitted.
State Seeks to Gauge Whether Students or Teachers Are Lagging
Mar 27 2009 - The Boston Globe
State education leaders in Massachusetts plan to track the performance of individual students as they advance from one grade to the next. The new measurement could shed light on who is falling short, teacher or pupil.
Few Caught by Steroid Testing in High School
Mar 18 2009 - District Administration
At one time, testing high school athletes for steroids was seen as the best way to fight performance-enhancing drug use among the young. Now, those efforts are losing steam because of high costs and few positive results.
State: Test Kids Later
Feb 18 2009 - New York Post
New York state is seeking to schedule annual reading and math tests later in the school year—a move that could erase one of the biggest hurdles to using students' exam scores to rate teachers.
Tennessee Program Standardizes Alternative Education
Feb 13 2009 - Tennessean.com
Tennessee education officials have created the first national blueprint for alternative education programs to help at-risk students succeed in school. The program sets quality standards for educating students who have been suspended, expelled, or have dropped out.
Kentucky Senate Passes School Reforms
Feb 12 2009 - kypost.com
Broad changes to Kentucky’s system of student testing and a program to allow motivated students to graduate high school in three years were both approved by the Senate Tuesday.
More Students Passing AP Tests
Feb 6 2009 - USA Today
A small but growing percentage of high school students have passed at least one college-level course before they graduate, but participation and pass rates among some minority groups remain disproportionately low, a report says.
Students Improve in Reading, Math
Jan 23 2009 - Concord Monitor
New Hampshire's public school students continue to improve in reading, math, and writing, according to the latest round of standardized test scores released yesterday by the New England Common Assessment Program.
For SAT, It's Pay and Prep
Jan 8 2009 - The Boston Globe
Despite the flagging economy,the test preparation and college counseling industry seems to be going strong. In addition to teaching students how to take standardized tests, the results of which are considered a key ingredient to getting into a top college, many companies offer packages covering the entire admissions process—from deciding where to apply, to picking essay topics and preparing for interviews, even to deciding which school to ultimately choose.
A Strong Case for More Charter Schools
Jan 7 2009 - The Boston Globe
In a compelling new study of Boston schools, researchers from Harvard and MIT found that compared with students in traditional schools, charter school students are doing significantly better in math and English. And in some grades, the results of the study are dramatic.
Nebraska's Got Some Work to Do on Science Test Scores
Dec 15 2008 - Omaha World-Herald
Nebraska's first-ever science test scores are providing new evidence to the state's science educators and advocates who want more focus on the subject. The scores, released Friday, ranked behind the three other core subjects in three key grades measured by Nebraska's academic accountability system.
Advocates for Disabled Students Cheer Graduation Rule
Dec 5 2008 - Education Week
The U.S. Department of Education's recent regulations setting a standard calculation for high school graduation rates appear to have pleased disability-group advocates, who were concerned that a loose standard could mean fewer opportunities for students with disabilities to earn a regular diploma.
Spellings Mulls an Early Departure, Associates Say
Nov 18 2008 - The Chronicle of Higher Education
As the days of the Bush administration wind down, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has watched a series of top aides leave early, including her chief of staff, chief financial officer, and under secretary for higher education. Ms. Spellings, however, has repeatedly promised to stay until the end, January 20, 2009. But will she? Close friends and former colleagues say the secretary plans to announce her own departure shortly.
Survey Suggests Web Plagiarism Remains a Huge Problem
Nov 3 2008 - eSchool News
Nearly half of students admitted to plagiarism in a poll carried out by a students' newspaper at the University of Cambridge, reports the BBC News—underscoring how hard it is for educational institutions worldwide to clamp down on the problem.
States, Schools Will Have to Improve Dropout Rates
Oct 28 2008 - Yahoo! News
High schools are coming under pressure from the federal government to improve the nation's dismal dropout rate—one in four students. Schools and states now must track and lift the graduation rates for all students, including minorities and students with disabilities, under rules issued Tuesday by Education Secretary Margaret Spellings.
Science Evolves in Classrooms
Oct 27 2008 - The Washington Post (requires free registration)
In the past six years, science has slipped as a priority in public schools while reading and mathematics have grown dominant. But in coming years, experts say, the same federal law that elevated reading and math could spark a resurgence of science in the classroom.
The High School Dropout's Economic Ripple Effect
Oct 22 2008 - The Wall Street Journal
As the financial meltdown and economic slump hold the national spotlight, another potential crisis is on the horizon: a persistently high dropout rate that educators and mayors across the country say increases the threat to the country's strength and prosperity.
Technology Key to Analyzing Assessment Data
Oct 20 2008 - eSchool News
Through the careful application of technology in classroom assessments, schools and teachers can improve instruction for students, and states can develop comprehensive longitudinal data systems to better analyze student performance, according to data in a new report from the State Educational Technology Directors Association.
First Results Low for State Science Tests
Sep 22 2008 - Concord Monitor
Many New Hampshire students aren't meeting state standards in science, according to the first round of statewide testing in the subject in five years. Kids in grades 4, 8, and 11 took the tests in the spring. Fourth-graders performed the best, with 51% considered proficient or better.
Report: Kids Misplaced in Algebra
Sep 22 2008 - The Boston Globe
More kids than ever are taking algebra in eighth grade but not necessarily learning more math, private researchers report. In fact, while eighth-graders are doing better on national math tests, students in advanced classes are faring worse, according to a study by the Brookings Institution.
K12 Inc. Scraps India Outsourcing
Sep 9 2008 - Education Week
A company that runs one of the nation's largest networks of online schools recently decided to discontinue a program that arranged for high school teachers in the United States to send their students' English essays to India for evaluations by reviewers there.
SAT Stays at Lowest Levels in Nearly a Decade
Sep 2 2008 - e-School News
For a second straight year, SAT scores for the most recent high school graduating class remained at their lowest levels in nearly a decade—a trend some attribute to a higher volume and a less elite population of students now taking the exam.
Six in 10 Minnesota Kids Come Up Short in Science
Aug 21 2008 - Minneapolis Star Tribune
Minnesota has long enjoyed a reputation as a nationwide leader in science education, but the results of a new test could cast a shadow on that image. Only about four out of 10 Minnesota students can be labeled "proficient" in science, according to results released by the Minnesota Department of Education.
NYC Cash-for-Tests Program Shows Mixed Results
Aug 21 2008 - The Boston Globe
A privately funded initiative that pays students in some New York City high schools up to $1,000 for passing Advanced Placement tests is not making the grade, critics say. Students at the 31 schools participating in the program called Rewarding Achievement, or REACH, took 345 more tests this year than last year. But the passing rate dropped slightly, from 35% in 2007 to 32% this year.
ACT Scores Show 3 in 4 Need Some Remedial Help for College
Aug 13 2008 - USA Today
Average scores on the ACT college entrance exam dipped slightly for the high school class of 2008 as the number of students taking the exam jumped by 9% compared to last year. This year's results, released Wednesday, reveal that more than three in four test-takers will likely need remedial help in at least one subject to succeed in college.
Cheating on ACT, SAT College Entrance Exams Has Few Consequences
Jul 18 2008 - The Los Angeles Times
If the testing firms suspect fraud, they simply cancel the student's score -- but they never tell schools why.
Testing Officials Again Tackle Accommodations and Exclusions for Special Student Populations
Jul 15 2008 - Education Week
An ad hoc committee of the board that sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress is once again looking at the broad discrepancies in the exclusion and accommodation rates of individual states and cities that take part in the heavily scrutinized exam, known as "the nation's report card." These discrepancies continue to spark complaints from those who believe those factors skew the results.
California Mandates Testing Every Eighth-Grader in Algebra--Ready or Not
Jul 10 2008 - The Los Angeles Times
Every California eighth-grader will be tested in algebra under a policy that could make the state the first in the nation to require an upper-level math class before high school. Critics say the expected three-year time frame for implementing the rule is unrealistic.
Reading and Math Scores Rise Sharply across N.Y.
Jun 26 2008 - The New York Times (requires free registration)
Reading and math scores for New York students in grades three through eight showed extraordinary gains across the state since last year, with particularly striking leaps in large urban areas. The improvements were so substantial that several education experts expressed skepticism.
SAT Will Let Students Pick Which Scores to Show Colleges
Jun 24 2008 - Los Angeles Times
High school students who take the SAT exam multiple times can choose just the best results. Some people see a reduction in stress, but others say the move will mostly help the affluent because of the test's cost.
New, Old SATs Alike in Predicting Grades
Jun 18 2008 - The Boston Globe
Expanding the SAT, the most widely used US college entrance exam, made little difference in its power to predict grades, a study found, giving ammunition to critics who seek to minimize use of the test. The New York-based College Board, which owns the test, released the study yesterday showing that the current SAT rated 0.53 on a measure of predictive ability, compared with 0.52 for the previous version. A result of 1 would mean the test perfectly predicts college performance.
Science Students Need to Get Out of the Classroom
May 27 2008 - Hartford Courant
Forty biology students in Connecticut fanned across the Peabody Museum of Natural History in New Haven last week for a field trip on biodiversity, peering at ecological dioramas and touching interactive displays. To education experts, this is "informal" or "free-choice" science learning, which means it's happening outside of school. This summer the National Academies, a congressionally chartered nonprofit group that advises the federal government, will release a report on what's known about the learning of science in informal settings such as museums, zoos and aquariums. Studies are showing that such institutions stimulate interest, awareness, knowledge, and understanding.
Keeping Science In Children's Orbit
May 26 2008 - Washington Post (requires free registration)
In an era in which the federal No Child Left Behind law has pushed schools to focus on reading and math, a school district in northern Virginia has created a new position: the "science guy." He runs the school planetarium and within the past year has become the elementary school science coach, a new position for schools in the district. In that job, he rotates through classes, helping teachers energize lesson plans on topics including sound waves and types of matter. A fifth-grade teacher said that some teachers weren't comfortable at first "with this crazy guy with all the toys coming into the room and getting kids riled up" but that he has learned from the science guy. "Before, it was always, 'I don't want to do anything because what if it goes wrong,'" the teacher said. "Now it's sort of okay if something goes wrong. That's part of science, not knowing what will happen."
AP Language, Computer Courses Cut
Apr 8 2008 - Washington Post (requires free registration)
The College Board told U.S. teachers that four underenrolled Advanced Placement courses will be eliminated after the 2008-09 academic year in the first significant retrenchment of the college preparatory program in its 53-year history. The courses being cut--Italian, Latin literature, French literature, and computer science AB--are among the least popular in the AP portfolio.
Virginia Does the Math, Boosts Efforts
Feb 21 2008 - Washington Post (requires free registration)
Virginia officials have launched several efforts to improve math and science education across the commonwealth, amid a nationwide push to better prepare students for careers in engineering and science.
Promises of Money Meant to Heighten Student Motivation
Feb 11 2008 - Education Week (requires free registration)
Does motivating students to study harder with the promise of cash sound like innovation—or bribery?That's a question educators and researchers have been debating, amid concerns that money-for-achievement programs actually decrease students' intrinsic motivation to learn and send mixed messages about studying. But the idea is catching on, with new cash-incentive programs planning to give money to students this school year in the Baltimore school district and some schools in an Atlanta suburb.
Schools to Offer Pay for Scores
Jan 25 2008 - Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore school system will pay high school students who improve their scores on the state graduation exams up to $110 each, a controversial plan that would be a first in Maryland. The system will spend $935,622 on the student incentives, part of a $6.3 million plan to help students struggling to pass Maryland's High School Assessments that administrators presented to the school board. State Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick approved the plan. But in a letter to city schools chief Andres Alonso, she expressed concern about the "lack of ... research" supporting student incentives and required the system to closely track student results.
'Dashboards' Provide Data on Schools
Jan 14 2008 - Washington Post (Requires free registration)
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has unveiled a new tool that can help parents see how schools are performing. Dubbed dashboards, the two-page, graphic-filled reports include pass rates on national and state reading and math exams for fourth and eighth graders, national and state graduation rates, and the number of schools meeting or falling short of requirements under the No Child Left Behind Act.
Calls Grow for a Broader Yardstick for Schools
Dec 16 2007 - Washington Post (Requires free registration)
Federal officials have defined school success primarily by how many students pass state reading and math tests. But a growing number of educators and lawmakers are pushing to give more weight to graduation rates, and student performance levels in science and other subjects. Advocates for multiple measures of success say that “learning is too complex to be judged by annual tests and argue that spontaneity and creativity in classrooms are being lost to test preparation and drills.” The Bush administration and some civil rights, education, and business groups argue a complex rating system would “mask” problems in schools with many students who have not mastered the basic reading and math skills they call “the building blocks to success.”
City Schools Gain, Yet Still Lag Nation
Nov 16 2007 - USA Today
Students in eleven urban school districts are making progress in reading and math, but continue to fall behind their counterparts nationwide, according to new test scores. Districts tested included Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Boston; Charlotte; Chicago; Cleveland; Houston; Los Angeles; New York; San Diego; and Washington, D.C. The results come from the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Study Compares States' Math and Science Scores With Other Countries'
Nov 15 2007 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
U.S. students in low-performing states like Alabama and Mississippi perform better on math and science tests than their peers in most foreign countries. However, students in Asian countries outperform American students in high-achieving states, according to a new study released by the American Institutes of Research. The study equated standardized test scores of eighth graders in all 50 states with those of their peers in 45 countries. The effort is the first to connect standardized test scores, state by state, with scores from other nations, according to experts.
287 Schools Named No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools for 2007
Oct 2 2007 - NSTA News
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has named 287 schools as this year’s No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools. “These schools are proving that when we raise the bar our children will rise to the challenge,” Spellings observed. “It takes a lot of hard work by teachers and students to become a Blue Ribbon school, and it’s a privilege to celebrate their great efforts.” Schools selected for the award will be honored at an awards ceremony scheduled for November 12–13 in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Students Score Sweeping Gains on Tests
Sep 26 2007 - Christian Science Monitor
Results from the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show American students are improving in math and reading, especially those in elementary school. Fourth graders are reading at higher levels than in all previous assessments. In math, the average score for fourth graders increased 27 points during the past 17 years. Some lawmakers observed that the No Child Left Behind Act played a role in increasing students’ achievement. But officials releasing the report were cautious in commenting on how much of the national progress could be attributed to the federal law.
In Growing Cities, a Loss of Students
Sep 24 2007 - Christian Science Monitor
School officials in several states, particularly those with large Hispanic student populations, are seeing a drop in enrollment. Many factors are contributing to the problem. But most experts agree it is a result of the federal government’s high-profile raids at job sites to capture undocumented workers and initiatives introduced on the local level aimed at illegal immigrants.
SAT Averages Decline to Record Low
Aug 28 2007 - Washington Post (Requires free registration)
Nationwide, students in the Class of 2007 posted the lowest SAT averages since 1999, according to scores released today by the College Board. Education observers said that the decline could be attributed to a more diverse population of students taking the college entrance test. More blacks, Hispanics, and Asians took the SAT in this year’s graduating class than in any previous class.
'Tested' Examines Difficult Choices
Aug 9 2007 - USA Today
States have spent millions of dollars administering standardized reading and math tests to students since the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act. The law requires that about half of all students take the tests and that schools improve each spring so they are not listed on “needs improvement” lists. Linda Perlstein, a former Washington Post reporter, decided to see the effects firsthand by spending a year inside an elementary school in Annapolis, Maryland.
A Study Finds Some States Lagging on Graduation Rates
Aug 2 2007 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
A new report finds that goals established by states for raising graduation rates are “far too low to spur needed improvement.” “The high school diploma is the bare minimum credential necessary to have a fighting chance at successful participation in the work force of civil society,” the report noted. “Yet current high school accountability policies represent a stunning indifference to whether young people actually earn this critical credential.” However, the study found that states’ goals are too modest to raise frequently mediocre rates of graduation.
States Keep an Eye Over Possible Split in Utah
Jul 9 2007 - Salt Lake Tribune (Utah)
Education observers say states across the country will be keeping an eye on Utah as officials there consider dividing the state’s largest school district. Cities can join forces to create a new school district if voters in that potential new district agree, according to a law passed in Utah in 2006. Several communities in Utah are expected to decide whether to put the issue to their voters in the fall.
Analysis Shows Black Students Fall Short on AP Tests
Jun 29 2007 - Boston Globe (Requires free registration)
An analysis of 2006 exam results in 30 school systems shows that participation in the Advanced Placement (AP) program has increased, but the surge has not reached most black students. The Washington Post reviewed AP data from nine of the 10 school systems in the nation with the largest black populations, from New York City, with 115,963 black students in grades 9-12, to Baltimore City, with 22,225 students. The analysis considered the number of passing exams by black students and weighed it against black student enrollment.
Secondary Schools to Be Rated in Science
Jun 27 2007 - BBC News
England’s secondary schools are going to be rated on the proportion of pupils earning two science GCSEs at grade C or above in this year’s league tables. The new measure will sit alongside the one showing how many earned five good GCSEs, including English and math. The introduction of the science benchmark is part of the government’s Science and Innovation Investment Framework
College Enrollment Figures Show Increase of Blacks, Hispanics
Jun 25 2007 - Herald-Leader (Lexington, Kentucky)
A new fact book being released today reveals that for the first time in the South, blacks are as well represented on college campuses as they are in the region’s population as a whole. In the 16 states measured for the book, the number of blacks enrolled in colleges has increased by more than half during the last decade. They now comprise 21% of college students and 19% of the overall population. The number of Hispanics in higher education in the South has also increased during the last decade by 71% to 552,000. But unlike for blacks, those figures remain well below the proportion of Hispanics in the region’s population.
Diplomas Count: Ready for What?
Jun 12 2007 - Education Week
According to the Executive Summary from Education Week’s Diplomas Count 2007 report, “Today’s high school graduates are entering a world in which they’ll need at least some college to gain access to decent-paying careers. And those without even a high school diploma will face increasingly bleak labor-market prospects.” The complete report is available online.
States Found to Vary Widely on Education
Jun 8 2007 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
Academic standards vary so drastically from state to state that a fourth grader judged proficient in reading in Mississippi or Tennessee would fall short of that mark in Massachusetts and South Carolina, the U.S. Department of Education said June 7 in a report that, for the first time, measured the extent of the differences. The wide variation raises questions about whether the No Child Left Behind Act, President Bush’s signature education initiative, has allowed a patchwork of educational inequities around the country, with no common yardstick to determine whether students are learning enough.
Arkansas Taking College Prep Lead
Jun 7 2007 - Arkansas Democrat Gazette
Southern states, Arkansas in particular, are leading the nation in student participation in the Advanced Placement (AP) program, a new report shows. The Georgia-based Southern Regional Education Board’s report revealed 26% of 2006 graduating seniors in the board’s member states took at least one AP exam, an increase of two percentage points higher than the national average. The board, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving educational opportunities in the region, has 16 member states.
Study Finds College-Prep Courses in High School Leave Many Students Lagging
May 16 2007 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
Only a quarter of high school students who take a full set of college-preparatory courses, four years of English and three each of math, science, and social studies, are well prepared for college, according to a study of last year’s high school graduates released May 15 by ACT, an Iowa testing organization. The study analyzed about 1.2 million students who took the ACT, one of the country’s major college admission tests, along with the SAT, and graduated from high school in June 2006. The study predicted whether students had a good chance of scoring a C or better in introductory college courses based on their test scores and the success rates of past test takers.
Schools React to WASL Change
May 10 2007 - The Olympian (Olympia, Washington)
A delay in the requirement that high school students pass a high-stakes math and science test to graduate will not change a Washington state school district’s efforts to help students improve in those subjects, school officials say. Gov. Christine Gregoire signed a senate bill May 8 delaying the requirement that high school students pass the math and science portions of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning to graduate. The South Sound school districts will continue plans to improve the math and science curriculum, keep offering tutoring and additional classes for struggling students, and possibly add training for math and science teachers, officials say.
Gregoire Delays WASL Math, Science Requirements
May 9 2007 - Seattle Times
Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire has delayed a requirement that students pass the math and science portions of a high-stakes exam in order to graduate high school. The governor also vetoed large sections of the bill overhauling the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) exam. Gregoire noted her actions should not be interpreted as a move away from high standards. The Class of 2008 was scheduled to be the first group required to pass the reading, writing, and math sections of the WASL test to graduate. The science section of the test was set to become a graduation requirement in 2010, but was delayed by Gregoire until 2013.
Science College First to Make SAT/ACT Scores Optional
May 8 2007 - USA Today
Officials at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Massachusetts say they will make college entrance exam scores optional in admission, making it the first nationally ranked science and engineering institute to do so. Beginning with the class of 2008, WPI applicants will have the option of submitting either ACT or SAT test scores or some other indicator of academic achievement, such as a research paper, science fair project, or similar effort that demonstrates a student's organizational skills, knowledge of subject matter, motivation, and initiative.
Science Tests Come as Teaching Time Falls
May 7 2007 - Washington Post (Requires free registration)
Maryland elementary and middle school students are being tested this week in science for the first time under the No Child Left Behind Act, a federal law that, in the minds of many educators, has squeezed science instruction to the margins of public education. Many elementary schools offer half as much science instruction as they did before the law was enacted, teachers and principals said. Science and social studies, once taught separately, share time to make room for more reading and math. Some middle schools that used to offer a full year of science and social studies give a semester of each. But starting with the 2007–2008 academic year, the law requires states to test students in science.
Linking NAEP Achievement Levels to TIMSS
Apr 27 2007 - American Institutes for Research
Average eighth graders across the globe would not meet U.S. National Assessment of Educational Progress math and science "proficient" levels, according to an American Institutes for Research Analysis of international achievement data. Almost 11% of countries, all Asian, would achieve the proficient level in math, but only Singapore and Taiwan would reach the proficient level in science. About half of countries would, as the United States does, attain basic levels in math and science, but more than 41% of countries, mostly in the Middle East and Africa, would score below basic.
Testing: How the Sausage is Made
Apr 11 2007 - NEA Today
Each year, hundreds of millions of test questions are developed, answered, and scored. Some 45 million tests required by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, better known as the No Child Left Behind Act, will be administered this year. The industry rakes in more than half a billion dollars a year for these tests, but its spokespeople insist their profit margins are tight because of fierce competition and ultra-tight deadlines. The big question: Has the focus on tests produced students who are better educated or more competitive in a world economy?
Putting Science to the Test
Apr 10 2007 - CSBA.org
Beginning with the 2007–2008 school year, the No Child Left Behind Act will require states and school districts to include science in their standardized, high-stakes tests. Science educators are generally thrilled at the prospect. They say it’s about time. But their applause is not entirely unrestrained. They have cause for concern.
Tenth Grade WASL May Ditch Math and Science
Mar 27 2007 - Seattle Times
State lawmakers appear on the verge of eliminating the math and science sections of the tenth grade Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL), and replacing those parts with a very different kind of test. The idea is to do something about the fact that so few students pass the math and science sections. But the proposed remedy is generating much concern because it could mean big changes in what students are expected to learn, and how they are tested.
Cheating Can Tempt Test Givers
Mar 22 2007 - Baltimore Sun (Requires free registration)
As pressure grows for students, teachers, and administrators to increase performance on high-stakes standardized tests, so has the temptation to cheat. This has led some school systems to use monitors to combat an escalating number of teacher-assisted cheating cases, according to Robert Schaeffer, public education director for the National Center for Fair and Open Testing. U.S. Department of Education officials declined to comment about the use of monitors and whether teacher-assisted cheating has been linked to pressures by federal mandates.
Math, Science WASL? History
Mar 15 2007 - News Tribune (Tacoma, Washington)
Washington lawmakers have voted to postpone the requirement that students pass statewide math and science tests to graduate from high school. Those students would be able to graduate by passing end-of-course tests in algebra, geometry, and biology instead of the math and science sections of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). Legislators say the math and science sections of the WASL tests are “faulty measures of the state’s students.”
Group to Offer AP Exam Extra Credit: $250
Mar 9 2007 - Washington Post (Requires free registration)
The Advanced Placement program has long offered college credit to high school students who show mastery of a subject. A group of educators and business executives now plans to dangle another incentive in front of AP students and teachers in selected schools across the country: $250 for each passing score on science, math, and English tests. Teachers and students are voicing mixed reactions to the proposal.
More Students Succeeding on AP Exams
Feb 16 2007 - Honolulu Advertiser (Hawaii)
More high school students are proving they can keep up with college-level courses, passing Advanced Placement (AP) exams that have become a measure of academic rigor. About one of every seven members in the class of 2006 scored at least a three out of five on an AP exam sometime during their high school career, according to a recent report by the College Board, which administers the AP exam. College Board President Gaston Caperton noted that is an important trend as the United States tries to keep up with other countries.
U.S., State Tests Find Different Results
Feb 1 2007 - United Press International
Differences in U.S. and state school standards in states are leading to wide discrepancies between state and federal assessments.
Standardized Tests Reshape How Pre-K is Taught
Feb 1 2007 - Houston Chronicle (Requires free registration)
Early education is a changing world. Where nap time and reading circles once sufficed, teachers now spend much of their days preparing their students for their eventual encounters with state standardized achievement tests. These changes were among many topics of discussion by more than 2,300 educators attending the Early Childhood Winter Conference in Houston, Texas.
How to Bring Schools into the 21st Century
Dec 10 2006 - TIME/CNN
For the past five years, the national conversation on education has focused on reading scores, math tests, and closing the achievement gap between social classes. This is not a story about that conversation. This is a story about the big public conversation the nation is not having about education, the one that will ultimately determine not merely whether some fraction of our children get "left behind," but also whether an entire generation of kids will fail to make the grade in the global economy because they can't think their way through abstract problems, work in teams, distinguish good information from bad, or speak a language other than English.
Those Who Pass Classes But Fail Tests Cry Foul
Nov 21 2006 - Washington Post (Requires free registration)
Many students are suffering from academic split personalities. Driven by the federal No Child Left Behind Act and tougher state diploma standards, the testing blitz has left these students in limbo. They pass their classes with B’s and C’s yet fail their state exams. The discrepancies have emerged amid fierce debate over the role of testing in public education.
Schools Slow in Closing Gaps Between Races
Nov 20 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
When President Bush signed his sweeping education law a year into his presidency, it set 2014 as the deadline by which schools were to close the test-score gaps between minority and white students that have persisted since standardized testing began. Now, as Congress prepares to consider reauthorizing the law next year, researchers and a half-dozen recent studies, including three issued last week, are reporting little progress toward that goal.
Most Students in Big Cities Lag Badly in Basic Science
Nov 16 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
At least half of eighth graders tested in science failed to demonstrate even a basic understanding of the subject in 9 out of 10 major cities, and fourth graders, the only other group tested, fared a little better, according to test results that are part of the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The results also show that student performance in urban public schools was not only poor, but far short of science scores in the nation as a whole. Gerry Wheeler, NSTA’s executive director, described the results as “extremely disappointing.”
Gates: U.S. Education System Needs Work
Nov 14 2006 - Boston Globe (Requires free registration)
Microsoft Corp. Chair Bill Gates says the U.S. higher education system is the envy of the world, but primary and secondary schools are failing to adequately prepare students for college. In an interview with the Associated Press, Gates said the experience of being a parent of three children has prompted him to spend more time thinking about schools. Specifically, Gates noted the U.S. education system needs higher standards, clear accountability, flexible personnel practices, and innovation.
Just Whose Idea Was All This Testing?
Nov 14 2006 - Washington Post (Requires free registration)
Historians say technological developments over time, particularly since the early 20th century, gave rise to standardized testing as the most popular mass measure of learning in the United States. Politicians in recent decades have focused on such tests as a tool to raise schools' standards and economic efficiency, although critics of the exams say it would make more sense to spend money on improving teacher training, shrinking class size, and other educational inputs.
Testing Improves Retention--Even If Material Not on Exam
Nov 13 2006 - Scientific American
Teachers who give tests on a daily or weekly basis—often at the expense of their popularity—can take solace in a new study out of Washington University in St. Louis. Researchers found that tests help students remember what they have been taught, including the material that does not appear on the exam. The findings appear in the November issue of the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
Leaders Aim to Curb Cheating on Tests
Oct 27 2006 - Philadelphia Inquirer (Requires free registration)
Five years after high–stakes school testing swept the nation, some key lawmakers say they want to make certain results remain credible. The lawmakers explain they are reacting to past reports of cheating from around the country, including Boston, Texas, and now Camden, New Jersey, where high–flying scores from 2005 were the result of “adult interference,” according to state investigators.
Number of ACT and SAT Test-Takers Up
Oct 18 2006 - CNN.com
The SAT and ACT college entrance exams each report the number of students taking their test this month is up sharply from a year ago, a likely sign more students are trying both exams to boost their admission chances.
SAT Still Makes Grade
Oct 15 2006 - Newsday
The scoring problems that plagued last October's SAT appear to have had no adverse effect on the number of students registered to take the high–stakes college admissions exam, although the glitches have prompted some college admissions offices to put more emphasis on the essay and other parts of an applicant's portfolio. Out of the roughly 2,600 accredited colleges in the United States about 730 institutions have now made the SAT optional.
First Subjects Get Green Light for GCSE Assessment
Oct 10 2006 - The Guardian (London, England)
A British exam board has unveiled the first online General Certificate of Secondary Education exam for environmental and land–based science, with modern foreign languages likely to be the next subjects scheduled to switch to electronic assessment. The new science test will include a mix of multiple choice questions scored by computer and short answers reviewed by moderators.
National School Testing Urged
Sep 3 2006 - Washington Post (Requires free registration)
The gap between states' student proficiency rates and the lower results those same children have posted on the National Assessment of Educational Progress has led many observers to call for creation of a national testing system. Some experts say a slowly phased-in system of national tests, starting at the high school level, could overcome the public's traditional reluctance to cede local control of education.
Students' Paths to Small Colleges Can Bypass SAT
Aug 31 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
For many small liberal arts colleges, the SAT exam is becoming an optional requirement in the admissions process. Admission officers say eliminating the testing requirement has increased both the size and diversity of their applicant pools, and bolstered their reputation as places personal enough to consider each applicant individually. The College Board, which administers the SAT, sees the trend as "wrong-headed," but as "no real threat." [See this related article.]
SAT Records Biggest Score Drop in 31 Years
Aug 29 2006 - CNN.com
The high school class of 2006 recorded the sharpest drop in SAT scores in 31 years, according to figures released Aug. 28 by the College Board. Representatives from the organization said the decline could partially be attributed to students taking the newly lengthened test only once instead of twice. They noted that fatigue was not to blame. The results come two weeks after it was announced that the class of 2006 had the biggest score increase in 20 years on the ACT exam.
Back to School: Performance Data Driving Education Now
Aug 29 2006 - Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
In the third installment of a weeklong series on trends in public education, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette finds educators grappling with data overload. Value–added approaches to instruction have generated buzz nationwide, but some districts don't receive state test results quickly enough to allow them to change instruction effectively.
Hundreds Worldwide Hit by Loss of AP Tests
Aug 18 2006 - Washington Post (Requires free registration)
Sections from hundreds of Advanced Placement (AP) tests taken around the world in May are lost, according to the Educational Testing Service (ETS), the company that develops and scores the exams for the College Board. Tom Ewing, an ETS spokesman, said in some cases the essay portion of the AP test is missing; in others it is the score sheet for the multiple–choice section that is lost. Ewing noted that any affected student would have several options to consider, depending on what part of the test is missing. Those options include retaking the test and accepting a partial score or canceling the entire grade.
Support for New High School Test Fades
Aug 16 2006 - Boston Globe (Requires free registration)
A private study contends that the drive to make students pass a high school exit exam has stalled and is likely to stay that way. The study by the Center on Education Policy found 22 states require students to pass a test to graduate high school. Three other states are phasing in these exams by 2012. But no other states are close to joining in, said Jack Jennings, the organization’s president. Despite the study’s results about two-thirds of the nation’s 15 million public high school students are required to pass an exit exam. Critics note that students are often penalized because the education they receive does not prepare them for the exams.
Gender Gap Worries Educators
Aug 14 2006 - Hartford Courant (Requires free registration)
Across the nation, the achievement gaps for racial minorities and other groups under the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act have been well chronicled, but the gap between boys and girls has been largely a footnote. No Child Left Behind, for example, holds schools accountable for achievement gaps by race, income, disability status, and English–speaking ability, but does not require schools to measure results by gender.
Don't Pay Kids to Flee Schools
Aug 14 2006 - USA Today
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings is pushing a new approach: give the children of persistently failing schools vouchers to attend private and religious schools. The $100 million program, which needs approval from Congress, would be available to students in schools that failed to make progress for five straight years. But some observers say there are better ways to spend that $100 million.
Back to School: Education By The Numbers
Aug 12 2006 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Associated Press taps a number of sources to offer a statistical snapshot of public and private education in the United States. The data touch on trends and breaks out in such areas as schools' racial and ethnic make–up, special education enrollments, the general population's educational levels, and teacher salaries, among others.
Two States Drop Out of New Dropout Plan
Aug 9 2006 - Stateline.org
Although all 50 governors agreed to standardize dropout reporting last July, North and South Dakota have backed out of the plan, and three other states are uncertain if they will comply with it, according to a new National Governors Association progress report. The NGA estimates that by 2010 at least 39 states will be using the new method, which in essence divides the number of students who graduate within four years divided by the number of first-time ninth graders four years earlier.
Remedies are Urged for SAT Scoring
Jul 21 2006 - Washington Post (Requires free registration)
A new report says scores for the SAT are reliable, but suggests that further steps should be taken to prevent scoring errors. Those steps include acquiring enhanced scanning software and increasing training efforts for test center personnel. Commissioned by the College Board, the study was released July 20 after more than 4,000 SAT tests were incorrectly scored in October 2005. The College Board owns and manages the SAT.
How Schools Are Pulling Rank
Jul 10 2006 - TIME
A growing number of public and private high schools are no longer using class ranking systems out of fear the system breeds unhealthy competition and places too much stress on students. College admissions officials say without the rankings, they must use other factors, such as SAT scores and student profiles, to identify top applicants.
Most States Fall Short on Student Testing, Government Says
Jul 7 2006 - Boston Globe (Requires free registration)
Thirty-four states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are falling short when it comes to the government’s requirements on student testing. Nebraska and Maine have had their testing systems completely rejected. States that are failing must submit a plan and a timeline for improvements, and can appeal their status. States that do not show improvement could lose 10% to 25% of their federal funding to administer tests under the No Child Left Behind Act.
Education Tests: Who's Minding the Scores?
Jun 30 2006 - Philadelphia Inquirer (Requires free registration)
Although there is funding and prestige associated with standardized test results under the No Child Left Behind Act, only about half all states perform any sort of statistical analysis of scores to identify signs of organized cheating, a new survey says. The survey found that some states leave the policing to individual school districts. The analysis also found that many states do minimal checking in the absence of specific complaints. Meanwhile, a separate study found that 80% of education assessment directors are spending more time dealing with security issues than they did five years ago.
Momentum for Going SAT-Optional
May 26 2006 - Inside Higher Ed
A growing number of colleges are making it optional for students to submit SAT scores as part of the admissions process. Several colleges that made the change a few years ago and that have conducted studies of the experience report that students admitted without test scores are doing as well as students who submitted test scores. Educators are excited about the new trend, but the College Board has a different view. A spokesperson for the organization said there is no national trend and that “to lose a national standard is a detriment to the process.”
States Struggle to Computerize School Records
May 15 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
Nearly all states are building high-tech data systems as a way to collect and process information on students, but in some areas the projects are facing problems. In North Carolina, a statewide school computer system is years behind schedule, and estimated costs have risen to $250 million. A private foundation spent $21 million on a data system for Idaho public schools, but pulled out when estimated completion costs hit $180 million. But observers note there are success stories such as the computer system in Georgia that will track grades and test results for each of the state’s 1.3 million students.
SAT Scores Drop; Some See Red Flag
May 10 2006 - USA Today
Colleges nationwide are trying to figure out why there is a double-digit decrease in students’ SAT scores. Schools reporting large drops in test scores include the University of California system, La Salle University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Texas Christian University, and Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania. Average composite scores for the ACT were unchanged from last year. A spokesman for the College Board says it is working with colleges to understand the large drops.
As Test-Taking Grows, Test Makers Grow Rarer
May 5 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
Psychometricians or testing experts are in high demand these days. With the No Child Left Behind Act requiring more testing of students, the nation faces a critical shortage of psychometricans. The problem has sent states, testing companies, and big school districts into a heated hiring competition, with test companies offering salaries as high as $200,000 a year or more with benefits. Government and industry leaders warn that the shortage of experts could undermine the testing process and lead to errors. Test company executives have urged the government to take action. David Dunn, acting under secretary of education, noted the Bush administration is addressing the dearth of psychometricians as part of a wider effort to increase the number of math and science graduates.
In Wake of SAT Errors, Senator Seeks New Rules on College Testing
May 3 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
A lawmaker plans to submit legislation in June pushing for stricter government oversight of the college admissions testing industry, after scoring errors were discovered on the October 2005 SAT exam. The legislation would include a requirement that all test questions and answers be disclosed without charge after the exams. The legislation may also require testing companies to respond to student requests for hand scoring. The companies may also have to do more sampling of their scoring to ensure better quality control. A College Board spokeswoman said the board was already exploring faster responses on student queries and hand scoring, and that more sampling for quality control might be possible.
Spellings Asks Testing Industry to Discuss SAT Scoring
Apr 26 2006 - CNN/Associated Press
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings recently held a meeting with testing company executives and the College Board to discuss industry practices in the wake of a high-profile scoring error on the SAT exam. Spellings called the meeting to discuss the error and to evaluate whether the testing industry can accurately handle the growing number of high-stakes and state tests under the No Child Left Behind Act. Deputy Education Secretary Ray Simon said the testing companies insisted they were not overburdened. He added that additional meetings with the testing industry are planned and will include state officials.
Education Chief to Look at Kids Left Behind
Apr 21 2006 - CNN.com
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings plans to investigate a loophole that allows states to exclude nearly two million student test scores under the No Child Left Behind Act. “When children are not part of the accountability system, then that’s a problem,” Spellings said after the Associated Press conducted a study on the test scores. Spellings declined to specify exactly how she would address the excluded test scores, noting the issue will resurface with the law’s renewal next year and with pending federal reviews of state education plans.
AP: States Omit Minorities' School Scores
Apr 18 2006 - ABC News
An Associated Press analysis shows the test scores of nearly two million students are not counted when it comes to meeting the No Child Left Behind Act’s requirement that schools track how students of different races perform on standardized tests. Less than 2% of white student’s scores are not counted as a separate category. In contrast, Hispanics and blacks have about 10% of their scores excluded. More than one-third of Asian scores and nearly half of American Indian scores are not divided into categories, the analysis found. State educators defend the exemptions, noting minority students’ performance continues to be included in their schools’ overall statistics even when they are not counted in racial categories.
Will 'Voluntary' Accountability Work?
Apr 10 2006 - Inside Higher Ed
Members of the Commission on the Future of Higher Education and college officials are voicing mixed reaction to a proposal by two state college associations to create a voluntary system of accountability. The proposal would consist of colleges and universities collecting and making public a broad range of information about their performance. Proponents say the proposal “would go a long way toward satisfying the pressure that has clearly emanated from the commission and its chairman, Charles Miller, for more transparency and rigor in how colleges prove to the public that they are educating their students and fulfilling their obligations. Critics say a voluntary system is unlikely to do the trick.
Let the Litigation Begin
Apr 10 2006 - Inside Higher Ed
A legal team that has won millions of dollars in the past over errors in standardized testing plans to file a class action lawsuit against the College Board and its contractor for errors that were made in scoring the October 2005 SAT. Critics of the SAT say the lawsuit could provide new information about how the SAT is scored, how vulnerable the test may be to errors, and how the College Board manages the process. Officials at the College Board and its contractor who scored the exam have declined to comment, citing policies against discussing litigation.
52% of State 7th-Graders Pass ISTEP Science
Mar 30 2006 - Indianapolis Star
More than half of Indiana’s seventh graders have passed the state’s mandatory science exam, a new section in the annual Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus test. But 47% of the students scored below the benchmark. Two areas that were problematic for students were sections on the nature of science and technology, which included scientific investigation, and one focusing on the physical universe.
Colleges Pushed to Prove Worth
Mar 28 2006 - Philadelphia Inquirer (Requires free registration)
For at least half a century, leaders of the nation’s colleges and universities have been touting U.S. higher education as the best in the world. But now the pressure to prove it is building. The most controversial method being explored to solve the problem is standardized testing. Small groups of students at more than 100 institutions nationwide are getting a trial run with the standardized tests. The essay-based exam is supposed to measure critical thinking and communication skills. Academics, however, say the solution is not standardized testing, but assessments that gauge each student’s mastery of a discipline.
SAT Problems Even Larger Than Reported
Mar 23 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
The College Board has disclosed that the problems resulting from the misscoring of its October SAT exam are larger than previously reported. The organization recently discovered that 27,000 of the 495,000 October tests had not been rechecked for errors. Board officials said after checking those exams and one other overlooked set, it had found that 400 more students than previously reported had received scores that were too low. A board official said the maximum error was 450 points, not 400.
Testing Errors Prompt Calls for Oversight
Mar 18 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
Recent SAT scoring errors and testing problems in other states have prompted some observers to call for better accountability within the testing industry. Suggestions include requiring testing firms to publicly disclose errors and creating an oversight entity, although the testing industry argues such changes will increase costs and won't improve service.
Case Involving Errors in Teacher Test is Settled
Mar 15 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
The Educational Testing Service (ETS) has agreed to pay $11.1 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over errors in the scoring of a teacher licensing exam, according to court-approved settlement papers released March 14. The lawsuit was filed by test-takers and involved a part of the Praxis test series given from January 2003 to April 2004. ETS said in a statement that both sides had agreed not to comment on the settlement. The statement also noted that the monies would be used “to provide cash payments to plaintiffs for things like lost wages, decreased earning capacity, and other damages,” and that notices informing people of their legal rights would be sent to test-takers, appropriate educational institutions, teachers unions, and state departments of education.
1,600 SAT Tests Escaped Check for Scoring Errors
Mar 14 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
The College Board has reported a new problem in assessing and correcting mistakes in the scoring of its October SAT test: an overlooked batch of 1,600 exams that have not been checked for errors. The new development comes a week after the board began notifying colleges and universities that it was raising the SAT scores of 4,000 students whose tests had been graded incorrectly because of processing problems at a scanning facility.
SAT Errors Raise New Qualms About Testing
Mar 10 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
The scoring errors disclosed this week that were found on thousands of SAT tests have raised new questions about the reliability of the kinds of high-stakes tests that increasingly dominate education at all levels. The College Board and the company who scored the exams detected the errors after two students questioned their scores. “The story here is not that they made a mistake in the scanning and scoring, but that they seem to have no fail-safe to alert them directly and immediately of a mistake,” said Marilee Jones, dean of admissions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “To depend on test-takers who challenge the scores to learn about system failure is not good.”
Dropout Rates High, But Fixes Under Way
Mar 3 2006 - Christian Science Monitor
Boring classes. That’s the major reason 90% of students with passing grades drop out of school, according to a new survey released by Civic Enterprises. “We’ve gone in and talked face to face with kids who have dropped out of school. What they are telling us debunks popular assumptions,” explains John Bridgeland, CEO of Civic Enterprises and an author of the study. “The problem is solvable.” Among the recommendations discussed in the report is adopting a curriculum that is more relevant and engaging and that helps struggling students get more access to support.
Students Testing Worse on Federal Exams
Mar 2 2006 - Boston Globe (Requires free registration)
A new analysis shows that students perform worse on federal tests compared to state exams. The number of fourth graders and eighth graders who scored proficient or better on state tests was often 30, 40, or 50 percentage points lower on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the federal measure of student achievement in the United States. The size of the discrepancy raises questions about whether states are setting lower standards. “There ought to be questions about whether state standards are preparing students for the challenges of college, work, and the real world,” observed Daria Hall, senior policy analyst at Education Trust, the organization that released the study.
20 States Ask For Flexibility in School Law
Feb 22 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
Twenty states have requested that the federal Education Department review their proposals for a pilot program that will alter the way student progress is measured under the No Child Left Behind Act. States would judge schools by having them track individual student progress over time under the new program. Currently, schools must show improvement in successive grades of students. Under the outlines submitted, many states are also suggesting they be permitted to count students as proficient in reading or math even if they are not, so long as they are on track to reach proficiency within two, three, or four years, depending on the proposal.
Math, Science Remain Tough Obstacles for Many Students
Feb 21 2006 - Star-Telegram (Ft. Worth, Texas)
Teachers in Texas are hoping this year’s test scores in math and science will show improvement. In 2005, student test scores were lower in math and science compared to other subjects. Across Texas, 692,671 of the 2.4 million students who took the math test did not pass the exam while the same result occurred for 257,213 of the 750,244 students who took the science test. Educators note that improvement in math and science is crucial if the United States wants to compete on a global level.
Panel Explores Standard Tests for Colleges
Feb 9 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
A higher education commission is examining whether standardized testing should be expanded into universities and colleges to prove that students are learning and to allow easier comparisons on quality. “What is clearly lacking is a nationwide system for comparative performance purposes, using standard formats,” said Commission Chairman Charles Miller, adding that student learning was a main component that should be measured. Educators are wary of the idea. “To subject colleges to uniform standards is to trivialize what goes on in higher education,” observed Leon Botstein, president of Bard College. “Excellence comes in many unusual ways. You cannot apply the rules of high-stakes testing in high schools to universities.”
Testing Plan is Gaining High Ratings Nationwide
Feb 8 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
Approximately 60% of American high schools offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses, according to an annual report by the College Board, the organization that runs the AP program. The report also found that the percentage of high school students passing AP exams increased in all 50 states last year. In the class of 2005, 14.1% of students received an AP test grade of 3 or higher on one or more AP exams, up from 13.2% from the class of 2004. The AP exams are graded on a scale of 1 to 5 with a 3 representing a C+.
New Exam Administered at Some U.S. High Schools Tries to Measure Students' Technology Literacy
Feb 3 2006 - Savannah Morning News (Georgia)
The Educational Testing Service plans to announce today details of a new version of the Information and Communications Technology Literacy Assessment. Some colleges already use the test. High school students will begin taking the new version of the exam this spring. ETS officials say the exam is not designed as an admission test. The goal is to show schools whether their students know how to use technology effectively and responsibly. But the exam may prove difficult to sell to schools in an era of tight budgets and other concerns.
Spellings Urges States to Streamline Data on Education
Feb 2 2006 - St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings wants schools nationwide to enhance their data collection systems about students’ academic performance before experts can create programs to improve education. President Bush discussed the same issue in his State of the Union address when announcing the American Competitiveness Initiative, a proposal that draws from federal resources to improve the quality of math, science, and technology education to ensure American students are globally competitive. “But it’s hard to be competitive when there is not even a common way to calculate graduation rates,” said Dane Lin, education director of the National Governor’s Association.
AP Classes Gaining in Popularity, But Passing Rates Lag
Feb 1 2006 - Austin American-Statesman (Texas)
By enticing students with cash, laptops, scholarships, and cars, such incentive programs, which are growing in popularity nationwide, are increasing the number of students taking Advanced Placement (AP) exams. Although the number of students passing the tests is rising, the percentage is falling. The lower passing percentage alarms some teachers and experts, who say students may be pushed into classes where they have less chance of success. Other educators dismiss these concerns, saying AP classes are now more diverse and help all students, even if they don't pass the exam, to be successful in college. They cite higher grade-point averages and higher graduation rates.
Toughening Up for Tests
Jan 10 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
As the federal No Child Left Behind Act and local policies raise the stakes of standardized exams, students, teachers, and parents all face mounting pressure. But social workers have come to the rescue by introducing students to a program called Test Monster. The art project is designed to exorcise students’ fears of standardized tests.
College Board May Split the SATs
Dec 19 2005 - Washington Post (Requires free registration)
Facing complaints that the SAT has grown too long, the College Board will consider allowing students to take the three parts of the newly expanded college entrance exam in separate sittings. The statement comes as at least 200 high school counselors and a handful of college admissions officers around the country have signed a letter to the College Board, expressing concern that the test's length of three hours and 45 minutes, has become a burden on students.
New Rules Aim to Ensure AP Courses Make the Grade
Dec 18 2005 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri)
For many college admission officers, two magic letters can make the difference between an applicant’s admission or rejection: AP. But Advanced Placement may not always be what it appears. “There are some schools in some places where kids are putting AP on their transcript and they are not taking the test,” explains an AP coordinator from Missouri. However, with the start of the 2007–2008 school year, any high school that offers an AP course will have to prove it meets certain requirements by the College Board, the organization that administers AP testing.
Science Tests Coming
Dec 12 2005 - Rocky Mountain News (Denver, Colorado)
Colorado students will face achievement tests in science next spring after showing progress in reading, writing, and math in recent years. Fifth and tenth graders will take the new tests, which will cover all aspects of science, including earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics. Observers note that the new tests could mean more emphasis on science, a subject neglected by some school districts as they strive to improve scores in other areas.
Schools to Add Focus on Science
Dec 12 2005 - Kalamazoo Gazette (Michigan)
In recent years, the main focus for elementary educators has been teaching reading and math. Schools that falter in those areas can face serious sanctions under the No Child Left Behind Act. But starting in 2007–2008, the calculation used in determining whether a school makes adequate yearly progress will also include science test scores.
Backstory: Einsteins at Five
Dec 8 2005 - Christian Science Monitor
Barely five years old, Edgar Padilla can accurately draw bar graphs and create "A-B" patterns of geometric shapes. Once upon a time, being five was all about learning your colors and how to tie your shoes without making a square knot. Today it's more apt to be about deconstructing sentences, performing not-so-simple addition and subtraction, and even learning the rudiments of a foreign language. Across the country, the accountability movement in education and near obsession with academic excellence is filtering down to the level of the jungle gym and nap-time rug. School districts are pushing students to new levels as a growing body of research indicates the importance of early learning and the demands of a competitive world close in on the American classroom.
Students Ace State Tests, But Earn D's From U.S.
Nov 26 2005 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
After Tennessee tested its eighth grade students in math this year, 87% performed at or above the proficiency level. But when the federal government made public the findings of its own tests last month, the results were different: 21% of Tennessee’s eighth graders were considered proficient in math. Such discrepancies have intensified the national debate over testing and accountability, with some educators saying that numerous states have created easy exams to avoid the sanctions the No Child Left Behind law imposes on consistently low-scoring schools. A comparison of state test results against the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress shows that wide discrepancies between state and federal findings were commonplace.
Student Progress Trials Approved
Nov 18 2005 - Boston Globe (Requires free registration)
Tinkering again with the enforcement of the No Child Left Behind Act, the government plans to let some states fundamentally change how they measure yearly student progress. In an experiment that has been months in the making, up to 10 states will be allowed to measure not just how students are performing, but how that performance is changing over time. Schools are currently evaluated based only on how today’s students compare to last year’s students. The Education Department has not chosen the 10 states that will be a part of the experiment.
Bush Education Law Shows Mixed Results in First Test
Oct 20 2005 - New York Times (requires free registration)
The first nationwide test to permit an appraisal of President Bush's signature education law (No Child Left Behind) rendered mixed results on Wednesday, with even some supporters of the law expressing disappointment. Math scores were up slightly but eighth-grade reading showed a decline, and there was only modest progress toward closing the achievement gap between white and minority students, which is one of the Bush administration's primary goals. In many categories, the results indicated, the gap remains as wide as it was in the early 1990s. By some measures, students were making greater gains before the law was put into effect.
A to F Scale Gets Poor Marks But is Likely to Stay
Oct 18 2005 - Washington Post (Requires free registration)
Will U.S. schools ever end their long romance with A's, B's, C's and so on? Some educators say letter grades no longer fit in a standardized information age. They say letter grades are too simplistic and vary too much from system to system, school to school, and even classroom to classroom. But some educators and experts say students will receive letter grades for many years to come, a tradition as resilient as baseball, comic strips, and other 19th century products.
'No Child' Rules to Be Eased for a Year
Sep 30 2005 - Washington Post (Requires free registration)
Schools in hurricane-stressed states will get a break, thanks to a decision by Education Secretary Margaret Spellings. The country’s top education official has decided to relax academic accountability standards for one year under the No Child Left Behind Act. Spellings’ decision will enable schools affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita to recoup without facing penalties for poor annual assessments. Schools, however, that have accommodated displaced students would still have to test those students, but would be permitted to place their scores into a separate sub-category.
Study Faults High-Stakes Testing
Sep 21 2005 - Dallas Morning News (Requires free registration)
High-stakes testing in 25 states has had minimal impact on student achievement and is disproportionately targeting minority students—as evidenced by increased retention and dropout rates in many states, according to a new study. “A rapidly growing body of research evidence on the harmful effects of high-stakes testing, along with no reliable evidence of improved performance by students, suggests that we need a moratorium in public education on the use of high-stakes testing,” said Sharon L. Nichols of the University of Texas at San Antonio, lead author of the report.
Spellings: 372,000 Students Displaced by Katrina
Sep 13 2005 - CNN.com
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings says there are “no clear answers” about who will pay to educate the 372,000 students booted from classrooms in Louisiana and Mississippi, thanks to Hurricane Katrina. School districts nationwide are enrolling displaced students who have friends or family from the Gulf Coast, or children who have nowhere else to go. Universities are taking in college students impacted by the storm. Spellings declined to estimate how much it will cost states to rebuild school districts or serve displaced students, or how much the federal government will cover.
Across Nation, Storm Victims Crowd Schools
Sep 7 2005 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
As school districts across the country enroll students affected by Hurricane Katrina, the crisis has posed financial and policy challenges for the Department of Education. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said the department’s $61 million budget for homeless student programs is insufficient. Spellings has been asked by the National Education Association to waive accountability provisions of the law for schools in the hurricane’s path, as well as in Texas and other states receiving large number of students. Private companies that operate online courses or charter schools are urging Spellings to use her “emergency powers” so they can enroll displaced students at the Houston Astrodome and other shelters across the nation.
ACT Scores on Plateau in 2005
Aug 17 2005 - The Washington Times/Associated Press
An annual study shows that average scores on the ACT college entrance exam held steady across all subjects for the high school class of 2005 compared with last year’s seniors. The test scores, however, suggest that many students lack sufficient preparation for college work. The results come amid a renewed focus to have more students take a core curriculum. “Somehow the message doesn’t seem to be getting through to students—they will have to work in high school and take some of these core courses,” noted Richard Ferguson, chief executive officer of ACT Inc.
How to Keep Those Kids in Class? Pay Them
Jul 29 2005 - Christian Science Monitor
A suburban Boston school will be joining other schools nationwide this fall in a new effort to help boost student attendance. Several school districts are turning to monetary and other incentives to boost attendance records, test scores, and GPAs. Supporters say such reward systems make good sense. Critics call the effort “bribery.” They say “a capitalist mind-set is invading an institution built around the notion that knowledge itself is the quest.” Opponents also note “not all students can control their school attendance or achievement, and rewarding only a select few could further undermine the efforts of the rest.”
Education Chief: Hispanics Gaining Ground
Jul 19 2005 - San Diego Union-Tribune
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings says the “achievement gap is beginning to close” between Hispanic and white students. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton argues the federal government is lacking in its efforts to help Hispanic students finish school. Spellings and Clinton, however, both agree that more needs to be done to address the high school dropout rate among Hispanics, which is four times higher that the rate for white students.
45 States Target Graduation Rates
Jul 18 2005 - Washington Post (Requires free registration)
Governors of 45 states have agreed to develop common measures for establishing high school graduation rates. The agreement is designed to replace various measuring systems nationwide with a uniform standard that will enable teachers, students, politicians, and parents to compare state graduation rates. “With uniform data on graduation rates and eventually dropout rates, states will have tools to help track and target efforts to push all students to graduate from high school,” noted Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, the outgoing chairman of the National Governors Association.
Gov. Hails Science Portion of MCAS, Scientists Scoff
Jun 29 2005 - Boston Herald
Beginning with the class of 2010, Massachusetts’ students will have to take a science test to graduate. The decision by the state’s Board of Education attracted praise from the governor, but criticism from some educators and scientists. Opponents of the plan argue that science aptitude can’t be measured by multiple-choice questions. Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said the board’s decision is a “necessary step” in ensuring the state’s students are ready for the technology-driven workplace.
Schools Fight for Diplomas vs. Dropouts
Jun 27 2005 - San Diego Union-Tribune
The quality of a high school diploma can vary widely within a state and within local school districts. In some districts, earning a diploma means completing a rigorous college-prep curriculum. There are also school districts where a diploma means you have put in your “seat time.” In California, however, passing a prescribed set of classes will no longer translate into a diploma. School officials have decided the class of 2006 will be the first to pass the state’s high school exit exam. Critics say students who struggle with the exam might drop out.
Decision Expected on MCAS Science Test
Jun 27 2005 - Boston Herald
Although several scientists, educators, and lawmakers are rejecting the plan, the Massachusetts Board of Education will consider adding a science component to the state’s standardized test at its June 28 meeting. After considering comment from the public since March, Massachusetts Education Commissioner David Driscoll wants to add a science component to the test in 2010, but noted state education officials need to review test scores during the next two years to make certain schools are ready for the extra requirement. Critics say the tests “create unnecessary anxiety for students and scare young, gifted teachers from the state.”
Study: States Mislead Public With Faulty Graduation Rates
Jun 24 2005 - CNN.com
A study by the Education Trust shows most states are reporting lofty high school graduation rates that exceed reality and mislead the public about how schools are performing. The report found 36 states say 80 percent to 97 percent of their students graduate on time. A series of independent analyses found the graduation rate across the states is closer to 70 percent. Three states and the District of Columbia have reported no graduation rate data at all. The Council of Chief State School Officers plans to help states develop a common system for tracking and reporting data on graduation rates.
P21: Rethink Testing for Future Success
Jun 23 2005 - eSchool News (Requires free registration)
A group of education and business leaders says today’s high-stakes tests are not adequate enough in measuring the kinds of skills students need in a global, technology-driven workplace. The group, Partnership for 21st Century Skills, has issued a report that urges national and state policymakers to improve efforts to design and implement new assessments that can measure these skills. Such skills include global awareness, civic engagement, financial proficiency, economic acumen, and business literacy.
'No Child' Law Credited for Hispanic Gain
Jun 16 2005 - Houston Chronicle (Requires free registration)
Test scores released in Maryland, Georgia, and New York show Hispanics are catching up to Anglos in reading and mathematics. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings attributes the boost in academic achievement to the No Child Left Behind Act. “In states across the country, this law is working,” Spellings observed at a conference on the needs of the Hispanic community. Some education experts say it is too early to judge the effectiveness of the federal law, noting only a few states have reported test scores this year and that test results from the 2004 National Assessment of Educational Progress will not be released until July.
School Law Spurs Efforts to End the Minority Gap
May 27 2005 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
Educators nationwide are putting extraordinary effort into improving the academic performance of minority students, thanks to the No Child Left Behind Act. The federal law requires schools to bring all students to grade level over the next decade. Teacher unions and state lawmakers have opposed various provisions of the law. But even critics acknowledge the requirement that schools release scores categorized by students’ race and ethnic group has obliged educators to work harder to narrow the achievement gap. Experts note that whether all the new activity will have any long-term effect is a matter of debate.
Critics Urge State to Halt Plans for Science Test Requirement
May 26 2005 - Boston Globe
Teachers, scientists, and lawmakers are urging the Massachusetts Board of Education to delay a plan that would require the class of 2010 to pass standardized science tests to graduate. The group claims that standardized tests will detract from hands-on activities that are crucial to science instruction. Education Commissioner David Driscoll says the critics are repeating the same fears from previous years voiced by opponents of the state’s standardized test, but have put a “science spin” on it.
High School Exit Exams on the Rise
May 23 2005 - Stateline.org
Earning passing grades does not guarantee a high school diploma anymore for half of all public school students in the United States. A growing number of states now require high school students to pass an exit exam to graduate, although some states are backpedaling amid a backlash over students who are denied diplomas. High school students in 20 states this spring must pass a standardized test to earn a diploma. The class of 2006 will see the next major expansion of exit exams.
Reform Models Take Personal Approach, Add Academic Rigor
May 19 2005 - Rocky Mountain News (Denver, Colorado)
School districts, community groups, foundations, and think tanks across the country are working to improve high schools and address concerns about low graduation rates. Urban districts, as well as those with poor and increasingly diverse student populations that don’t always thrive in traditional high schools are of particular concern. Various approaches and experiments are being used to combat these challenges. Click on the link above to read about these programs.
States Hoping to 'Grow' Into AYP Success
May 18 2005 - Education Week
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has indicated she may be open to new ways of measuring school progress, known as “growth models.” Massachusetts uses a performance index model to rate schools that award 100 points for every student who scores at the proficient level or higher on state tests, but also gives schools reduced credit for students at lower performance levels. In contrast, Tennessee proposes using a “value added” model, which would track the performance of individual students over time and judge schools based on how much academic growth each student makes from year to year. Other states have proposed using growth models, but federal officials want to hear from researchers and experts before giving approval to the plans.
U.S. Provides Rules to States for Testing Special Pupils
May 11 2005 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
A set of guidelines imposed by Education Secretary Margaret Spellings for special education students is drawing criticism from education officials and advocates for those students. Spellings’ new guidelines are for states that plan to take advantage of new, short-term flexibility in the way special education students are tested under the No Child Left Behind Act. To gain the flexibility, states must show they are in compliance with other facets of the law and their efforts to boost the achievement of students with disabilities is working. Critics say the requirements are too stringent.
Getting a Taste of College in High School
May 4 2005 - Baltimore Sun
This week marks the 50th year of the Advanced Placement Program, the college-level regimen simply known as AP. Begun as a 1950s prep school perk, a way for students from elite high schools to dispense with some college courses, AP has become much more: a rigorous academic program that’s seen by many as a sort of national curriculum for top students, and a boost to overall achievement in school systems nationwide.
Closing Student Gap Not Open-and-Shut
May 1 2005 - Kansas City Star (Requires free registration)
Gaps exist between students of different races and incomes, and between districts in urban, suburban and rural areas. Without changes in funding, laws, and school procedures, the gaps will continue to widen, according to members of the National Education Association’s Black Caucus. “It’s a cruel hoax,” Reg Weaver, president of the NEA, said of federal funding for education. Other NEA officials note there are no easy solutions for closing achievement gaps.
Websites Have Data on Test Scores, Teacher Salaries
Apr 27 2005 - Houston Chronicle (Requires free registration)
Science teachers can click onto two new websites. Developed by Standard & Poor’s and the Council of Chief State School Officers, www.schoolmatters.com provides standardized test results searchable by school. The site also contains student demographics, school spending amounts, teacher salaries, SAT and ACT test scores, as well as information on whether a school is meeting federal standards for annual progress. Launched by the Heritage Foundation, “Choices in Education,” is a database of school choice laws and enrollment opportunities in each state. Accessible at www.heritage.org/schoolchoice, this website contains school choice research studies, news articles, and chronologies of school choice policy arranged by state.
None of the Above
Apr 24 2005 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
It is a mantra that is increasingly pertinent to tests in math and science. The two fields might seem immune from imprecision. But in math, today’s tests assess more than a student’s ability to do “naked computation,” according to one expert. In many places, calculators have rendered meaningless the testing of basic computational tasks. Instead, more questions test students’ comprehension in real-world contexts. With these scenarios come variables, and mathematicians and scientists from British Columbia to Boston spend much time picking apart the questions, particularly in online discussion groups.
Website Helps You Compare Districts
Apr 7 2005 - Sacramento Bee (California)
Science teachers can tap into a new website that provides information on the nation’s schools. Visitors to www.schoolmatters.com will learn about student demographics and community demographics such as income levels, housing values, household parental status, and adult educational attainment levels. The website also contains student proficiency results on statewide reading and math tests, broken down by student subgroups and grades, for every public school, district, and state. District and state financial data is also available.
Educator Calls for More Funding, Better Teachers
Apr 4 2005 - Philadelphia Inquirer (Requires free registration)
A nationally known educator argues that to really “leave no child behind,” we need to give low-income and minority students better resources and teachers, rather than just depend on high-stakes tests and punitive sanctions. Linda Darling-Hammond says the achievement gap between white and minority students has expanded since 1990. “When provided with good teachers and comparable curriculums, minority and white students do equally well,” observed Darling-Hammond.
Science Test Seen Mandatory for Class of 2010
Mar 28 2005 - Boston Globe
Massachusetts Education Commissioner David Driscoll is proposing that today’s seventh graders pass a science test if they want to earn a high school diploma in 2010. The state-mandated test would be in addition to existing English and math tests, which are requirements for graduation. A recent Department of Education analysis found 90 percent of students take biology, chemistry, physics, or engineering/technology courses by the end of their sophomore year. Students, however, need to pass a test in only one discipline.
Researchers Connect Lower Achievement, High School Exit Tests
Feb 2 2005 - Education Week
As President Bush promotes his plans for expanding high-stakes testing in the nation’s high schools, a new study has found that states that already have such exams in place have lower graduation rates and college entrance exam scores than states that don’t have them. Further information about this study can be found in the January issue of the electronic journal Educational Policy Analysis Archives or by clicking on the link above.
Ed Chiefs Back Governor on New Science Test Grad Requirement
Jan 26 2005 - Boston Herald
Massachusetts is one of eight states without a mandate that requires students to pass a science test as a requirement for graduation. But that may soon change. Education officials are supporting a proposal by the state’s governor to boost the importance of science achievement. Gov. Mitt Romney wants Massachusetts’ eight graders to pass a state science test in order to graduate. “We want the center of science and technology to be in the United States and, if I can be more specific, in Massachusetts,” Romney noted.
Report: Every State Increasing Share of Successful AP Students
Jan 25 2005 - CNN.com
More students in every state and the District of Columbia are passing at least one Advanced Placement test, according to a new report by the College Board. The nonprofit organization notes, however, that significant gaps remain as AP participation increases nationwide. Many students enter college without having passed an AP exam, and black students have distinct challenges including low test participation, and test scores a level behind those of white students.
Amid Science Push, Many Students Lag
Jan 20 2005 - Boston Globe
Although Massachusetts’ governor wants to make science a graduation requirement, previous assessments of students in science have resulted in failure. Nearly a third of Massachusetts’ eighth graders failed the state’s science exam last spring. Educators note that science instruction lags behind English and math in textbooks, equipment, and teacher training. School officials say they support increasing the emphasis on science only if state leaders supply enough money for teacher training, materials, and tutoring to help students pass the test.
Amid Testing Stress, Some Teachers Cheat
Jan 2 2005 - Indianapolis Star
A growing number of teachers and administrators nationwide are among the new group of today’s top cheaters. Experts note that teachers and administrators are inflating standardized test scores as a result of the mounting pressure of federal mandates. Several states plan to pay thousands of dollars to a Utah consulting firm that operates as “testing detectives” for schools and other businesses in effort to combat the problem.
Math Educators Find Common Denominators
Dec 21 2004 - Washington Post (requires free registration)
A "peace summit" was held in Washington, DC, in an attempt to make sense of seemingly contradictory results from recent international studies of science and math education and find good practices for US students that all educators can agree on. There was more agreement than some participants imagined possible, suggesting that they may be moving toward a "centrist position." Among the topics they said they agreed on were (1) heavy reliance on calculators in the early elementary grades is a bad idea; (2) elementary school children must have automatic recall of number facts, which involves memorization of multiplication tables, for example; (3) children must master basic algorithms.
Charter Students Fare No Better, Study Says
Dec 16 2004 - The Washington Post
A new report shows charter school students nationwide are performing no better in math and reading than their peers at regular public schools and by some measures are doing worse. The study by the National Assessment of Educational Progress looked at a representative sample of more than 3,000 students in 150 charter schools across the country, comparing their performance with that of nearly 190,000 traditional public school students.
State Tests Often Trail U.S. Results
Dec 16 2004 - USA Today
The basic reading skills of public school students look good as measured by state achievement tests. But a RAND Corp. study released by the Carnegie Corp. of New York reveals a different story. Researchers who compared state reading scores with those on the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress found that, in several states, pass rates for fourth and fifth graders have little correlation with national standards.
A Website Where Students Can Go Figure
Dec 8 2004 - Los Angeles Times (Requires free registration)
Students across the country are using math and science problem sets through the University of California, Los Angeles’ Interactive Multi-Media Exercises website. This is part of a program that engages students in critical thinking. The program also enables teachers to analyze their students' problem-solving strategies. To identify patterns in student learning, university researchers track the choices students make as they handle the website's problems.
School Testing Across U.S. is Apples, Oranges
Dec 5 2004 - Indianapolis Star
The patchwork of state tests that gauge student progress under federal law is under scrutiny. Educators have long criticized state testing systems as too rigid with the No Child Left Behind Act that uses them to hold schools accountable. But education policy experts say the freedom that states have to choose their own tests and passing scores undermines the NCLB law for a variety of reasons including high costs and their degree of difficulty. Sentiment for a nationwide accountability test is expected to grow amid concern that a flawed state test system will chip away at the federal law’s accountability goals.
Two Approaches to School Accountability
Nov 1 2004 - The Christian Science Monitor
Although the two candidates in this year’s presidential election supported the No Child Left Behind Act when it was approved, President Bush and Democratic rival Sen. John Kerry have different approaches to school accountability. Bush plans to make needed adjustments to the federal law and then expand its principles into the nation’s high schools if reelected. Kerry, however, wants to find more funding for the law and possibly revise it.
Schools Improving, But Slowly
Oct 15 2004 - Philadelphia Inquirer
A new study by the Education Trust shows improvement in reading and math in several states and the gap between white and minority students narrowing. But the report notes the progress is too slow to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. The federal education reform law requires students, including the poor, disabled, and those in ethnic subgroups to achieve state mandated standards in math and reading proficiency by 2014.
States' Roles Prove Tough on Big Scale
Oct 13 2004 - Education Week
Most state education agencies and local school districts are counting on academic coaches and teams of experienced educators to improve poor performing schools. But while those approaches have been used to meet requirements for high-stakes state accountability programs, scaling up these practices to help hundreds of schools labeled as not making “adequate yearly progress” is proving too much for some. As a result, states and school districts are now looking at large-scale strategies to help poor performing schools.
An Answer to Standardized Tests
Oct 12 2004 - USA Today
A small but growing group of researchers is gaining attention when it comes to standardized testing. Psychometricians work in school districts, education departments, and private testing firms to ensure standardized exams actually test what students know. Approximately a dozen universities have psychometrics programs and turn out one or two graduates a year. Observers note, however, psychometrics burn out quickly once they are on the job. Experts attribute new federal requirements that demand quick exam turnaround times and creating new tests after exam questions are made public as to why psychometricians become burned out.
Problems Seen for More Testing of U.S. Students
Oct 5 2004 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
A new federal requirement to expand annual testing of students in 2005 faces serious obstacles, including unreliable data and a lack of clear and timely guidance from officials, according to a new government report. The study, by the Government Accountability Office, found wide variation in the rules that states use to measure progress with the No Child Left Behind Act. The variation makes comparisons between states meaningless, according to the report.
Reports Show Student Progress
Sep 30 2004 - The Washington Times
Student are making gains in academic achievement, according to state progress reports required by the No Child Left Behind Act. An analysis of the reports by the Education Trust and National Alliance of Black School Educators shows more than two-thirds of schools in a dozen states jumped an average of 12 percentage points in reading and math last year. Maryland led the country in making “adequate yearly progress” while California ranked 10th in improvement.
Can Exam Anxiety Be Overcome?
Sep 14 2004 - The Washington Post
Experts say test anxiety is becoming a growing problem as students continue to be bombarded with exams, and not enough teachers and parents are addressing the issue. Researchers estimate 20 to 30 percent of American students feel the effects of test anxiety in varying degrees. The prevalence rises in third through fifth grades and seems to peak in middle school, according to researchers. Some experts note, however, that being nervous before taking a test is normal and can be helpful.
State Won't Cut History, Science Tests
Sep 9 2004 - Boston Herald
Standardized history and science tests that had been threatened by budget cuts will continue to stay in Massachusetts schools, thanks to a lawmaker who has promised more funding for the exams. The state’s senate president noted a $3.2 million supplemental appropriation would be made to the budget to allow the history and science tests. Education Commissioner David Driscoll noted not having the funding “would have been a reduction in the state’s commitment to teaching and learning.” For more information on Assessment, NSTA members can refer to the September 2004 issue of Science & Children.
Fewer Schools Falling Short on 'No Child Left Behind'
Sep 6 2004 - USA Today
The number of American schools “in need of improvement” under President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act is smaller than forecast. Experts question, however, if that means an increase in student achievement or if standards have been relaxed. A spokesman for the National Conference of State Legislatures, which is compiling state test scores, says this change is not a result of an increase in student achievement. The Center on Education Policy and others claim the changes coincide with the presidential race. Bush administration officials deny that the upcoming election has softened the rules.
Record Number of Minorities Take SAT
Sep 1 2004 - USA Today
A record 37 percent of the 1.4 million college-bound high school seniors taking the SAT this year were minorities, an increase of six percent since 1994, according to new test scores. The basic skills of black, Hispanic, and American Indian students, however, still lag far behind those of white and Asian students. The average score for all students remained unchanged from 2003.
Assessments Help Teachers Form Plan for Instructing Young Students
Aug 30 2004 - The Salt Lake Tribune
Assessing the academic skills of young students can be a tricky business. Their short attention spans and unfamiliarity with tests often lead to unreliable results and mistaken conclusions, according to a national testing expert. Assessments, however, can play an important role in allowing teachers to formulate effective teaching strategies and measure the academic growth of students. For more information on Assessment, NSTA members can refer to the September 2004 issue of Science & Children.
12 Million Languish in Failing Public Schools, Report Says
Aug 30 2004 - The Washington Times
A new study shows that more than 12 million students are stuck in low-performing schools as the new school year starts this week. State reports reveal that at least 24,000 public schools failed to meet “adequate yearly progress” (AYP) goals last year, based on test scores and other factors. Schools that fail to meet AYP goals for two consecutive years are labeled as “in need of improvement” and receive additional funding for supplemental tutoring, transportation of students to other schools, and other remedial services to help remove themselves from being on probation.
Summit Focuses on Black Test Gap
Aug 20 2004 - The Detroit News
School board members from the nation’s urban districts have convened in Detroit this weekend in hopes of improving the educational performance of black students and closing the achievement gap between African American youngsters and others. “There is a lack of performance of African American students in reading, writing, and math,” noted Ron Price, founder and president of the National African American School Board Members group. “When you look at national test scores, our youngsters are always lagging behind.”
Study: Exit Exams Don't Ready High Schoolers for College
Aug 19 2004 - Salt Lake Tribune
Several high school graduation tests don’t measure whether students are ready for college or work, according to a new report by the Center on Education Policy. The nonprofit research group has also found that some states have not defined the purpose of their graduation exams. “If they are not clear, then they can’t write an exam that’s legitimate,” the center’s director Jack Jennings noted of state leaders. “We are urging states to re-examine their policies.”
Average ACT Scores Up For First Time in Years
Aug 17 2004 - Los Angeles Daily News
Average scores on the ACT college entrance exam have increased for the first time in seven years. The national average composite score for 2004 increased to 20.9 from 20.8. Scores are based on a scale from 1 to 36. Test administrators say the increase is significant, given that a growing number of students who do not plan to attend college are taking the test. Experts note, however, the latest figures show no progress in two areas: the number of students taking a college-prep curriculum and the number scoring high enough on the ACT to indicate they will succeed in higher education.
Ready or Not
Aug 4 2004 - District Administration Magazine
Writer Rebecca Sausner brings attention to the “next wave” of the No Child Left Behind Act’s requirements for standards and assessments in this article. The NCLB law calls for states to establish science standards for each grade level by 2005 and to test students in science by 2007. Sausner highlights the challenges of developing and administering large-scale assessments through four areas: Creating Challenging Standards, Creating a Way to Test for Hands-On Learning, and Why Science is Different from Reading. Related information including online resources for teachers is also provided.
Grading Mistakes Caused More Than 4,000 Would-Be Teachers to Fail Licensing Exam
Jul 13 2004 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
More than 4,000 prospective teachers have failed the Praxis P.L.T. 7–12 test, thanks to mistakes made in the scoring of the exam. Eighteen states use the test to license teachers. The errors occurred from January 2003 to April 2004. The Educational Testing Service, who administered the exam, says it will notify state education departments who used the test. Those who took the exam will also be notified and reimbursed for the test’s registration fees.
Ethnic, Culture Biases Cut From Standard Tests
Jun 29 2004 - The Detroit News
Education experts and testing companies are voicing mixed opinions over a move to eliminate ethnic, cultural, or regional biases from standardized tests. Supporters note that such exams are already stressful for students and there is no need to cause children to stumble. Opponents argue that anti-bias policies make standardized tests boring. Restrictions on standardized tests also include eliminating questions that are too easy or difficult, or those that pose a challenge to particular groups of students.
Study Finds Senior Exams Are Too Basic
Jun 10 2004 - New York Times (Requires free registration)
A study of America’s high school graduation exams shows they primarily test material taught in the ninth or tenth grades, compared to other industrialized countries that teach similar material at the middle school level. A spokesman for Achieve Inc., a nonprofit group that conducted the study, added the report found that such exams were “not pegged at a very demanding level.” High school exit tests in math and language arts from six states and writing exams from four states were analyzed for the report. The study also compared the material tested with benchmarks from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study.
Study Warns About School Achievement Scores
Apr 13 2004 - The Washington Post
President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act may prompt some parents to transfer their students from low performing schools to other schools that appear to foster high student achievement, but fail to do an adequate job of raising individual test scores, according to a new study. The report, by the Northwest Evaluation Association, supports the views of several educators that school achievement ratings will improve once all school systems can monitor every student’s improvement on an annual basis. Education Department officials said they would have to review the report before commenting on its worth.
College Prep Classes Challenge Teachers, Too
Mar 2 2004 - Washington Post (requires free registration)
The Washington Post's Jay Mathews notes that most of the commentary about the surge of college-level courses like International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement in US high schools has centered on their effect on students. "Less has been said about the impact of such courses on teachers," he writes, "so I think it is important to tell the story of [biology teacher] Dan Coast, and what his experience reveals about the unsung courage and pride of many people working in high schools these days."
Website Promises Convenient Access to School Data
Jan 29 2004 - USA Today
Six states—Delaware, Florida, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington—are the first to take part in a new website that provides information about the performance of public schools. The site, www.SchoolResults.org, offers state report cards on education, as well as data on individual schools and school districts. The Education Department and The Broad Foundation are sharing the cost for the project’s first phase. Organizers hope to post data from all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico by summer.
Va. Seeks To Leave Bush Law Behind
Jan 26 2004 - Washington Post
The Republican-controlled Virginia House of Delegates has called the No Child Left Behind Act an unfunded mandate that threatens to undermine the state's own efforts to improve students' performance. By a vote of 98 to 1, the House passed a resolution on January 23 calling on Congress to exempt states like Virginia from the program's requirements. The law "represents the most sweeping intrusions into state and local control of education in the history of the United States," the resolution says, and will cost "literally millions of dollars that Virginia does not have."
Students at Most Urban Schools Score Below National Average
Dec 17 2003 - News and Observer (Raleigh, NC)
New test results show that students in some of the country’s largest urban school districts score below the national average on federal reading and math exams. The scores, however, have revealed that these students compete well when compared with their peers of the same race, ethnicity, or economic level. Ten school districts volunteered to set the benchmark for the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The districts account for one out of eight of the nation’s poor students, one out of seven minority students, and one of six students with limited English.
US Flunks Top Metro [Detroit] Schools
Nov 30 2003 - Detroit News
More grumbling about No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has become audible in the Detroit area, where a school praised by President Bush in May has found itself listed in the "failing" category, according to NCLB calculations. That school is not alone, and many school districts are diving back into their data, hoping to prune the thicket of numbers into a more positive result. "We will see some of the best schools in Michigan on the list," said David Plank, co-director of Michigan State University's Education Policy Center, which provides nonpartisan analysis of education issues. "It's a guarantee." [See also this story]
Educators Endorse Rules On Accountability
Nov 26 2003 - Education Week
Dozens of superintendents and other education leaders have signed a letter urging lawmakers to resist pressure to scale back the accountability provisions in the No Child Left Behind Act. Education leaders who signed the letter requested full funding of the law, but urged their peers to avoid using insufficient funds to escape their responsibilities for implementing the law. The Education Trust organized the letter-signing effort to offset what it views as a rise in rhetoric targeting the law.
Utah is Behind on New Ed Rules
Nov 21 2003 - Salt Lake Tribune
Like many states around the country, Utah is suffering from the "Nickleby Blues" (Nickleby = NCLB = No Child Left Behind). Utah education officials acknowledged they will not be able to meet all the requirements of the sweeping federal law that holds schools accountable for improving student achievement. The deficiency could land the state in hot water with the US Department of Education.
High-Stakes Testing Debated
Nov 4 2003 - Richmond Times-Dispatch (Virginia)
Researchers are debating the results of high-stakes tests. A 2002 study conducted by Arizona State University researchers shows states with high-stakes tests do not significantly outperform states without similar exams. A 2003 study, however, contradicts that finding. Barak Rosenshine, a professor emeritus of educational psychology at the University of Illinois, found high-stakes testing states “clearly outperformed other states, particularly on NAEP tests.”
ACT, SAT Results Show Discrepancy
Sep 8 2003 - The Detroit News
Educators are in a debate over mixed results from this year’s ACT and SAT tests. The ACT scores for the high school class of 2003 showed incoming college freshman unprepared for math and science classes. Results from the SAT, however, revealed math scores at a 35-year high. SAT officials attribute the rise in their test scores to an increased student enrollment in rigorous college preparatory math and science classes. The ACT based its findings on whether students reached “college readiness” benchmarks in the math and science sections of that test. Testing experts claim the difference can be attributed to how each company promotes its products.
Opinion: Develop National Tests as Achievement Yardstick
Sep 5 2003 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
States could save money and have a tool for comparisons if they pooled their efforts to underwrite national assessment tests, especially in math and science, argues the author of this editorial. Georgia Schools Superintendent Kathy Cox, however, disagrees; noting if the federal government got involved in testing it would create more waste, bureaucracy, and fraud. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the “the nation’s report card,” assesses students in fourth, eighth, and twelfth grades in 41 states, but does not provide state-by-state comparisons. The author notes that states would prefer to continue student assessment with NAEP.
Rising Demands for Testing Push Limits of Its Accuracy
Sep 2 2003 - The New York Times (Requires free registration)
Testing has become a hot topic these days as a result of the demands placed on schools by state lawmakers and the federal government. Educators and some testing industry experts, however, say the new demands are pushing the limits of the testing industry’s ability to provide fair and accurate exams. Experts claim increased testing and tight deadlines imposed by the No Child Left Behind Act will increase human errors unless more attention is paid to quality control issues. Testing company executives say they can meet the demands of the law while improving the industry’s track record. Critics argue the testing industry is in need of federal regulation.
Indiana to Test 5th-Graders on Science
Sep 1 2003 - The Washington Post
Indiana fifth-graders will take a new science test this month, after budget problems forced officials to postpone the exam last year. The state’s effort to test students in science comes after national ACT scores released in August showed only a small percentage of college-bound high school seniors were prepared for college biology. Although science won’t become part of federal testing guidelines until 2007, Indiana science teachers have praised the local testing effort, noting it will “elevate science to a higher profile throughout the state.”
Math SAT Scores Reach 36-Year High
Aug 27 2003 - CNN
New data released from the College Board shows SAT math scores have hit their highest level in 36 years. The College Board, which owns the college entrance exam, attributed the historic gain to an increased enrollment in advanced math and science classes, as well as the growth of high-tech gadgets and computers. Critics argue, however, the higher test scores are a reflection of the test being easier that it was a generation ago and the prevalence of the Internet, calculators, and preparation courses.
What Happens When Teachers Fail the Test
Aug 15 2003 - The Christian Science Monitor
What happens when a teacher fails a competency exam? And are such tests a useful measuring tool to assess the skills and qualifications of educators? This article offers some answers to those two questions. Click on the above link to learn more.
High School Exit Exams are Here to Stay
Aug 14 2003 - The Detroit News
High school graduation exams are on the rise and may lead to more students dropping out of school, according to a new national study. The report by the Center on Education Policy shows 19 states withhold diplomas from students who don’t pass tests that cover math, science, and other subjects. Five other states plan to phase in graduation tests by the year 2008.
Technology Counts 2003: Tech's Answer to Testing
May 8 2003 - Education Week
Computer-based testing is becoming a hot topic in the headlines. According to a new Education Week study of state departments of education, 12 states and the District of Columbia, have a computerized exam or a pilot project under way to assess the effectiveness of computer-based testing. Experts predict technology could change the face of assessment in schools.
Study: Big States Best at Standardized Testing
May 6 2003 - CNN
A new study shows big states develop better standardized tests compared to smaller states that operate with limited budgets. The Princeton Review study ranked New York as the best test-giver in the country followed by Massachusetts and Texas. Montana was ranked last on the list just below Rhode Island and South Dakota. Experts note that small states should refrain from buying their tests from companies and consider pooling their resources to raise standards.
Teachers Hope Kids, Test Have Chemistry
Apr 25 2003 - The Dallas Morning News (Requires free registration)
Teachers across Texas are using inquiry activities and other hands-on lessons to help their students prepare for the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, the state’s new science test. Students in grades five, 10, and 11 will take the exam for the first time this year. Teachers, however, face the challenge of not knowing what will be on the test.
Teachers, Not Just Students, Find Anxiety in Testing
Apr 24 2003 - USA TODAY
New research shows that teachers place more emphasis on test anxiety than students. University of Arkansas researchers say this can be attributed to teachers feeling their jobs and professional reputations are at stake. The Arkansas researchers also note that a school’s climate has the greatest affect on students when it comes to taking standardized tests.
Study Finds Higher Gains in States with High-Stakes Tests
Apr 16 2003 - Education Week
A new study scheduled for release in May is adding fuel to the debate on high-stakes testing programs and their affect on student performance. In their report, Stanford University researchers Margaret Raymond and Eric Hanushek criticize an Arizona study released earlier this year that argued testing programs might do more harm than good. Raymond and Hanuskek contend the biggest problem with the Arizona study is the report’s authors compare the improvements made by students in states with strong accountability programs with the national test score gains made over the same time periods. A better comparison would have been with states that have no accountability programs, Raymond and Hanuskek noted.
Sugar Fix May Boost Test Scores-But Not Brains
Apr 8 2003 - Chicago Sun-Times
Teachers looking to boost student test scores should offer their classes some candy bars or other sweet treats, according to a new study. “There is significant evidence that schools, particularly those threatened by the accountability system, respond to the policy of providing students with simple carbohydrates or ‘empty calories’ on testing days,” said David Figlio, the study’s author and University of Florida professor. Figlio and co-author Joshua Winicki warn, however, that “higher test scores don’t mean smarter students, just better test takers.”
Boys, Not Girls, on Worse End of Education Gap
Mar 10 2003 - Chicago Sun-Times
Teachers have known for years that girls don’t perform as well in science and math compared to boys. A new Chicago Sun-Times study, however, has revealed a different challenge for teachers. According to the report, boys lag behind girls in reading and writing. “There’s been a lot of hoopla about women and their opportunities,” observed Kitty Green, an Indiana education professor. “I don’t think anyone’s been paying as much attention to this reading and writing thing.”
Teachers' Views Mixed on Testing
Mar 5 2003 - The Boston Globe
America’s teachers are voicing mixed opinions on high-stakes testing, according to two recent studies. Some educators say high-stakes tests make high school students feel demoralized and take away time on subjects not covered by the exams. A majority of teachers, however, said they endorse high-stakes tests and believe the exams bring needed attention to education issues. Teachers also observed high-stakes states don’t promote student drop out rates.
States Worry New Law Sets Schools Up to Fail
Jan 2 2003 - The Washington Post
America’s education officials are complaining about a requirement in the No Child Left Behind Act. They say the federal education law’s requirement that each racial and demographic sub-group in a school show annual improvement on standardized tests will result in several of the country’s schools being labeled as failures, even if they are already showing improvement. “This law will leave us talking out of both sides of our mouths," said Leslie Jacobs, chief architect of Louisiana’s accountability system.
More Schools Rely on Tests, But Study Raises Doubts
Dec 28 2002 - The New York Times (Requires free registration)
High-stakes tests given by states may worsen overall academic achievement and encourage students to drop out of high school, according to a study by Arizona State University researchers. “Teachers are focusing so intently on the high-stakes tests that they are neglecting other things that are ultimately more important,” observed Audrey Amrein, the study’s lead author.
Move to Raise Scores Getting Mixed Grades
Dec 23 2002 - The Indianapolis Star
Education observers are questioning the way a new Indiana school superintendent is trying to raise test scores. Peggy Hinckley implemented a regimented assessment process where specific subjects are taught and tested in three-week cycles, after she assumed her post of the Warren Township School district in May 2001. Hinckley’s method has resulted in a 47 percent increase in student’s standardized test scores. “But the process doesn’t allow much flexibility,” notes third-grade teacher Paula Patrick.
Eyes on Your Own Papers
Dec 17 2002 - The Washington Post
What’s the best way for teachers to prevent students from cheating? That’s the question educators are trying to answer in recent weeks after eight Maryland students cheated on an SAT exam and the release of a new film called “The Emperor’s Club,” which deals with academic dishonesty. Some education officials say they prefer practical approaches such as randomly assigned seats and careful monitoring while others favor honor codes and ethics classes to prevent cheating.
Standardized Testing Wanes in Japan as it Rises in USA
Dec 3 2002 - USA Today
Science teacher Tina Cross of Georgia voices her opinions on the topic of standardized testing in this editorial. According to Cross, the Bush administration places too much emphasis on standardized testing compared to the Japanese, who are changing their educational system to focus more on "the importance of creative thinking and free time for students."
Letter Released from U.S. Education Secretary Paige to State School Chiefs on Implementing No Child Left Behind Act
Oct 24 2002 - US Department of Education
In his letter Secretary of Education Rod Paige notes that "some states have lowered the bar of expectations to hide the low performance of their schools. And a few others are discussing how they can ratchet down their standards in order to remove schools from their lists of low performers. Sadly, a small number of persons have suggested reducing standards for defining 'proficiency' in order to artificially present the facts. This is not worthy of a great country. I hope these individuals will rethink their approach for the benefit of the students in your states." (See previous story noted in the NSTA News Digest.)
States Revise the Meaning of "Proficient"
Oct 9 2002 - Education Week
A number of states appear to be easing their standards for what it means to be "proficient" in reading and math because of pressures to comply with No Child Left Behind, the new federal law requiring states to ensure that all students are proficient on state tests in those subjects within 12 years. Some observers say the changes in these states show that it is likely other states will also take advantage of the latitude the law has given them to define for themselves what constitutes proficiency. Congress didn't define the term and didn't give the U.S. Department of Education any enforcement powers over states that might be perceived as watering down their standards to meet the new requirements.
A Plea to Trust Schools – Not Just Tests
Sep 17 2002 - Christian Science Monitor
In this interview, a leading education reformer and author swims against the surging current of "high-stakes testing." According to Deborah Meier, whose firsthand experience includes a successful stint in an East Harlem school in New York City, testing only lowers standards by emphasizing breadth over depth, and makes schools accountable for the wrong things. Ultimately, Meier wants schools that parents can trust. But this trust, as she notes in her most recent book, "is not based on blind faith. It is a hard-won, democratic trust in each other, tempered by healthy, active skepticism and a demand that trust be continually earned." (See also this subsequent story in the Washington Post.)
Exit-Exam Trend Prompts Scrutiny of Consequences
Sep 5 2002 - Education Week
So far, 18 states have instituted high school exit exams as a graduation requirement, with another six phasing them in. Proponents applaud the trend, arguing that the tests help hold schools, teachers, and students accountable for results. But could the growing use of such tests also be contributing to higher student dropout rates? And perhaps even worse, do the tests create an incentive for schools to push low-performers out the door? That's what some test detractors fear -- and they’ve gone public with their concerns. Click above to read more about this ongoing debate...
Study Suggests Students' Arithmetic is Lacking
Sep 3 2002 - Washington Post
National tests, including the NAEP and the SAT, have shown an encouraging rise in math scores over the last decade. But according to a Brookings Institution report released today, those increases mask a troubling trend: a decline in students' ability to perform basic pencil-and-paper arithmetic. The author attributes the decline, in part, to a de-emphasis on computational skills in an age of calculators. Critics, however, say the report distorts the true picture.
Failing Schools Find Hole in Federal Education Law
Aug 29 2002 - Washington Post
The No Child Left Behind law was designed to mandate serious consequences for failing schools, including giving students at such schools the right to transfer to higher-performing ones. But as the above article reports, because the law allows each state to set its own academic standards, failing-school designations often "say less about the quality of the schools than they do about the rigor of the educational standards set by each state." For instance, the law has already produced a strange circumstance this year whereby Michigan has listed 1,513 failing schools compared to Arkansas’s zero.
The bottom line: Experts fear that as long as states retain the power to define success and failure, the new law's impact will be severely limited.
Commentary: Explaining the Math-Verbal Gap
Aug 29 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration)
As reported yesterday, the average math SAT score rose to 516 this year (see previous story), reflecting a combined 15-point increase since 1992, and mirroring a rise in math scores on other standardized tests (e.g., the ACT and NAEP) over the last decade. In contrast, the average verbal SAT score dipped slightly, a trend consistent with stagnant reading scores on the other major standardized exams. Why is it that students seem to be making more progress in math than in reading? While no one knows the answer for sure, the above column examines some likely factors.
SAT Math Scores Hit 30-Year High
Aug 28 2002 - CNN.com
The average SAT math score in 2002 rose two points from last year to 516, the highest level in 32 years, the College Board announced yesterday. Officials said the ongoing improvement in math scores reflects a greater emphasis on advanced math and science course-taking in high school, particularly among girls. On the down side, the average verbal score fell two points from last year to 504, a decline that was attributed in part to decreasing student participation in English composition and grammar coursework.
Knowing the Score on Tests: Educators, Parents Wonder What to Make of Results
Aug 21 2002 - Washington Post
In many parts of the country, this is about the time of year when individual students' standardized test scores are released. What should educators and parents make of the results, particularly in cases where there is a large discrepancy between scores and school grades? And what's the right way to talk about scores with very young children, who may have taken standardized tests for the first time? According to the above article, such questions are becoming increasingly common as the No Child Left Behind law demands annual testing of every child in third through eighth grades.
Report: Exit Tests Hurt At-Risk Students
Aug 15 2002 - Washington Post
Eighteen states now require students to pass exams before graduating from high school, with that number projected to grow in the next six years. Is this a good or bad development? Supporters say that high-stakes exit exams offer a strong incentive for students to improve their academic performance. But a report released yesterday by the Center on Education Policy warns that the trend toward mandatory tests could put an increasing number of poor and minority students at risk of being denied diplomas, particularly because schools are not doing enough to prepare them for the exams. Click above for the news article, or visit www.ctredpol.org to access the full report.
Frustration Grows as States Await "Adequate Yearly Progress" Advice
Jul 11 2002 - Education Week
Frustration is growing over the lack of federal guidance on how to implement the new ESEA law, particularly provisions relating to “annual yearly progress” (AYP) targets, the above article reports. The new law is much more prescriptive about how states set their AYP targets – which schools must meet to avoid penalties -- creating fears among states that 60 percent to 90 percent of all schools could be identified as “needing improvement” within a few years. The Department of Education has said that final guidelines would not be ready until late August, at best.
After Complaints, New York State Schedules Repeat of Regents Physics Exam
Jul 9 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration)
After receiving complaints that the Physics Regents exam was unusually difficult -- and indeed, the proportion of students who failed the exam tripled this year, to 33 percent -- the New York State Education Department announced last week that it would offer the test again on August 12. Many of those who voiced complaints, however, say the state's decision still falls short of giving students a fair shake; the better solution, they say, is to adjust the scoring scale, therefore allowing more students to pass the exam.
College Board Approves SAT Overhaul
Jun 27 2002 - CNN -- AP
As anticipated, College Board trustees voted today to overhaul the SAT college admissions test. Approved changes include: adding a 25-minute handwritten essay that will be made available to colleges; dropping the analogy section (while beefing up reading comprehension); and adding higher-level math questions, particularly those reflecting coursework in algebra II. The changes will take effect in March 2005.
SAT Overhaul is Planned
Jun 26 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration)
In a move that is likely to send ripples through the college admissions process, the College Board's trustees are expected to vote tomorrow to revamp the SAT, starting in the spring of 2005. In what may be the biggest change, the revised test is expected to include a 20-to-30-minute handwritten essay question that will be scored by the board and then made available to admissions officers at colleges where the students have submitted their scores. College Board officials have also indicated that the new test will cover a third year of high school math, eliminate the verbal analogy questions, and increase the emphasis on reading skills.
Failure Rate Up on Regents Physics Exam; Officials are Investigating
Jun 25 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration)
Students, teachers, and administrators have complained to the New York State Education Department that the Regents exam in physics, administered last week, was substantially more difficult this year, causing a sharp drop in students' passing rates. In response, state officials (who are still waiting for some schools to send in their information) have begun an investigation into the matter. "It's clear there is a decline in the number of students who passed, but it is hard to know to what extent or what it means," an official said. Read more...
Report Ranks State Testing Programs
Jun 19 2002 - USA Today
North Carolina has the best testing program in the nation for K-12 students, says a new report by The Princeton Review. Rounding out the top five were: Texas, New York, Massachusetts, and Arizona. In determining the rankings, the report considered four criteria: how well the tests are aligned with state curriculum standards; test quality; openness of the testing program to public scrutiny; and whether the program spurs changes that lead to improved learning. Click above for the news article, or click here to go to the full report.
Column: Trying to Bridge the Exam-Diploma Divide
May 28 2002 - Washington Post
An increasing number of states are moving to make a high school diploma contingent upon students passing one or more state achievement tests. But as these rules go into effect, they are raising difficult questions. For example, should exceptions be made for students with learning disabilities -- or more generally, for students who fail the state exams but otherwise work hard and pass all their courses? And how can the rules be bent without sacrificing academic integrity? The above column examines these sensitive issues...
Changes Proposed for SAT, ACT
May 17 2002 - Detroit News -- AP
In a move that could affect college-bound students across the nation, makers of the SAT and ACT college admissions tests told University of California officials that they are proposing revisions to their tests to meet new standards drawn up by University of California faculty. Among the possible changes: adding a written essay and adding math questions based on advanced courses such as trigonometry. In the case of the SAT, which is owned by the New York-based College Board, proposals are expected to go before the College Board's trustees in June.
Teacher Probed for Role in Anti-Testing Activity
May 16 2002 - Education Week
In California, a teacher has been placed on administrative leave for allegedly encouraging her students to opt out of the state's testing program. The incident, the above article suggests, represents a test case of sorts, pitting teachers' free-speech rights against state laws that govern state policies. "Parents and students may not be solicited. That's what's being investigated," the district's superintendent said. "If it crosses over into soliciting, then, as superintendent, I have to make sure the law is followed."
Teachers Feel Stress of High-Stakes Testing
May 9 2002 - CNN -- AP
The suicide of a Georgia principal, which some are attributing in part to testing pressures, is renewing concerns over high-stakes testing systems that hold school staff accountable for poor student performance. "People feel like they can't even do their jobs and be teachers because it's just the tests, the tests, the tests," one educator lamented. On the other hand, supporters of standardized exams say the tests are the only way to ensure that all schools teach children basic skills.
Assessment Help for Teachers on Way
May 8 2002 - Education Week
Do you ever wish you had more help in making difficult student assessment decisions? Well, help may be on the way in the form of a new document, "Student Evaluation Standards," which is on track to be approved this week by the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation. Five years in the making, the standards aim to provide a framework for designing and assessing student appraisals so that they are "fair, useful, feasible, and accurate." If all goes as planned, Corwin Press will publish the standards next December. Click above to learn more...
Vermont May Reject Federal Education Aid
Apr 23 2002 - Rutland Herald -- AP
Vermont Gov. Howard Dean says he wants his state to consider rejecting $26 million in federal education money to escape the testing demands and other requirements attached to it. "It's going to be incredibly expensive and require us to do our work all over again," Dean said of the recently reauthorized ESEA law, which requires annual testing in grades 3-8. While critics have lodged similar complaints against the new ESEA, Vermont is the only state (to date) that has said it might refuse federal funds to opt out of the plan.
College Board Proposes SAT Overhaul
Mar 25 2002 - CNN -- AP
The head of the College Board is proposing major changes to the SAT I, the two-part verbal and math test taken by about 2 million college-bound students each year. Possible revisions include adding a writing test and toughening up the math section, which in its present form does not require students to have taken advanced courses such as Algebra II. The proposed overhaul comes just over a year after the University of California president called for the UC to drop the SAT I, which critics say is unfair to some students. Find out more...
Third Grade? It's Time for a Test Prep Class
Mar 19 2002 - Christian Science Monitor
The intense pressure on schools to perform on state-mandated exams has triggered an explosion in the market for K-12 test-preparation supplies: from a negligible sum to some $50 million in the past three years. And the new education law, which requires annual testing in grades 3-8, is expected to only increase the demand for such materials. What are educators to make of this trend? Are private sector test-preparation services simply another tool to help students, or as critics suggest, do they encourage students to focus on test-taking tricks at the expense of mastering basic subject matter? The above article takes a look...
Commentary: Assessment for Learning
Mar 15 2002 - Education Week
In this era of standards and accountability, we rely on assessments of learning to tell us if schools are delivering results, the author of the above op-ed writes. But, he says, "there is another way in which assessments can contribute to the development of effective schools, one that has been largely ignored...assessments for learning." Such assessments are aimed at advancing, not merely checking on, student progress -- and if used properly, can "yield unprecedented achievement gains." The problem is, few teachers have been given the training to use assessments for learning effectively, a situation that must change. Click above for the full op-ed...
National Survey Shows Continued Support for Standards Movement
Mar 8 2002 - Education Week
The research organization Public Agenda has released its chief findings from Reality Check 2002, the group's fifth annual survey on the academic-standards movement. According to the report, the standards movement continues to attract widespread support among teachers and parents, and public school students nationwide appear to be adjusting comfortably to the new status quo. In addition, despite some headlines trumpeting a "backlash to testing," the report finds strong agreement on the useful role standardized tests can play, with large numbers of adults giving testing a general thumbs-up. Click above to read the full report, which was published in the Mar. 6 issue of Education Week.
Boycotts and a Bill Protest Mandatory State Tests
Mar 7 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration)
The protest movement against standardized testing is still simmering in New York, the above article reports. In the most recent development, scores of students, backed by their parents, boycotted state tests at two competitive New York City middle schools. Anticipating the boycott, the state has issued regulations requiring schools to administer standardized tests whether parents want them to or not; thus, students who refuse the tests will be given zeros. Meanwhile, a bill before the state assembly would force the State Board of Regents to consider alternatives to existing standardized tests, such as portfolios of student work.
The Deflation of Grade Inflation
Mar 5 2002 - Washington Post
There's been a lot of talk lately about grade inflation. But what does the research suggest? Is it really easier to earn a good grade in high school today than it was, say, a generation ago? And what's the purpose of grades anyway? Should grades be used to signify a certain level of achievement (based on fixed standards) or to sort students based on relative performance (A's to the top students, D's and F's to the worst)? In the article above, Washington Post columnist Jay Matthews tackles some of these questions...
Education Department Hints That States May Use Mix of Tests
Mar 1 2002 - San Francisco Chronicle -- AP
Draft regulations released Wednesday by the U.S. Education Department (ED) say states may use a combination of state and local tests, as well as customized and off-the-shelf tests, to meet the new education law's testing requirements. The move should come as good news to the nation's governors, who last week asked ED for flexibility in meeting some of the law's testing mandates (see previous story). An ED spokesperson said the draft guidelines will serve as a starting point for rule-making negotiations slated to take place over the next several weeks.
A "Proficient" Score Depends on Geography
Feb 22 2002 - Education Week
The new ESEA, signed by President Bush last month, requires states to set at least three performance levels -- basic, proficient, and advanced -- and to adhere to a strict timetable for bringing all students up to the proficient level by 2014. But what exactly does proficient mean? Given the wide variability that exists among states' standards and assessments, the answer seems to depend on where you live.
To Encourage Field Trips, VA Museums Tailor Programs to State Tests
Feb 22 2002 - Washington Post
In this era of high-stakes testing, educators at Virginia museums say the only way to get school groups through the doors is to tell teachers exactly how their exhibits can help students study for the state's Standards of Learning (SOL) exams. Teachers seem to be appreciating the efforts. "For right now, as long as we're having to take the SOLs, it's important that [the museums] cover the SOLs -- very important," one elementary school teacher said. Read more...
Texas Science Teachers Fear Losing Clout, Resources Along With State's 8th Grade Test
Feb 13 2002 - Education Week
Texas middle school teachers are worried that their classroom resources will be drastically reduced next fall when the state cuts its 8th grade science test. "If it's not tied into money, we're lost," said one science teacher, commenting on the fact that financial sanctions and rewards for schools are linked to student scores on state tests. Experts agree that such concerns are justified. "There is a greater emphasis, in terms of time and coverage, on [subjects] that are tested," noted a researcher who has studied state testing systems nationwide. Read more..
States Gear Up for New Federal Law
Jan 16 2002 - Education Week
Interviews by Education Week with officials in 45 states suggest that state leaders generally applaud the thrust of the newly reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act--and they particularly welcome the billions of new dollars Congress has appropriated for education. But officials also have a number of questions and concerns, the interviews indicate, including worries over how much they will have to change their testing and accountability systems to comply with the law; whether the federal money set aside for the purpose of new tests is sufficient; and whether all teachers can be "highly qualified" in the subjects they teach by the 2005-2006 school year, as the law requires. To read more about states' reactions to the law, click the link above....
No Child Left Behind: What Does the New Law Mean?
Jan 9 2002 - NSTA
As reported yesterday, President Bush just signed a sweeping new education reform plan into law. But what does the law mean for schools and educators? Click above for a link to two U.S. Department of Education documents outlining the law's major provisions (including the math and science partnerships), as well as for a link to an Education Week article that examines the challenges presented by the legislation's extensive new testing requirements.
Education Week Newspaper Releases Sixth Annual Report on States' Efforts to Improve Education; States Average a "C" Across Range of Categories
Jan 8 2002 - Education Week
Education Week (EW) released yesterday "Quality Counts 2002," the newspaper's sixth annual report on education progress in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In addition to presenting the latest data on student achievement (including in science), the report grades the states in three areas: standards and accountability, efforts to improve teacher quality, and resources (adequacy and equity). This year, states averaged a C across those categories. Quality Counts 2002 also includes a special focus on states' efforts to provide high-quality pre-K and kindergarten experiences for young children. Past QC editions, which are still available at EW's website, have focused on such issues as standards, testing, and accountability; teacher quality; and urban education. Click the link above for this year's report, or click here for past reports.
Students Failing to Make Gains on Science Tests
Jan 7 2002 - Houston Chronicle (requires free registration)
Recent national test scores showing flat student achievement in science beg the question: Is the nation doing enough to advance science education? Some observers say that as more schools face accountability from state tests, which often focus on reading and math, science is being pushed to the sidelines. On the other hand, there is growing evidence that states and schools are beginning to take science a little more seriously--either by incorporating science into high-stakes tests or by encouraging students to enroll in more advanced science classes. Whatever the case, most experts agree that society pays a high price for weak science programs. "The entire population needs to be more educated about science," says Robert Dennison, an AP biology teacher from Texas.
Opinion: The Pitfalls of Annual Testing
Dec 27 2001 - Christian Science Monitor
Clifford Hill, a professor of language and education at Columbia University, expresses concern in this op-ed over the new federal education bill's mandate that students in grades 3-8 be tested annually in reading and math. "The appropriated funding [for annual testing] is far from adequate," he argues, adding that the "history of testing teaches a clear lesson: If enough money is not available, testing is done on the cheap and children are the losers."
Many CA Kids Flailing in Mandatory Algebra Classes
Dec 17 2001 - San Francisco Chronicle
Recognizing that algebra is a key gateway to many upper-level math and science courses, California has made it a requirement of earning a high school diploma. But now, as many eighth and ninth graders struggle to get through algebra, some educators are expressing concerns that otherwise promising students interested in vocational careers could be denied diplomas or drop out for lack of math skills. They also argue that it's unfair to push students into higher math without first improving math instruction.
U.S. Students Average Among International Peers in Reading, Math, and Science Literacy, New Study Shows
Dec 4 2001 - NSTA
U.S. 15-year-olds perform at the international average of their peers in other highly industrialized countries in reading, math, and science literacy, according to the first round of results from a new international study. Click above for a summary of the results (including science results), as well as for links to the full report and additional information.
Behind the Numbers: More Coverage of National Science Test Scores
Nov 28 2001 - Education Week
As reported in a previous story, the science test scores of the nation's public school students have remained essentially flat since 1996. But what's the story behind the numbers? As the article below points out, an analysis of NAEP test and survey data hints at how to improve science scores in the future. Of particular interest are two findings: 1) The more science courses that students take, the better they perform; and 2) Eighth graders whose teachers had an undergraduate major in science education scored higher than those whose teachers had majored in education. Read the complete Education Week article
for more analysis...
Testing Dissidents: School Leaders Go Public With Their Concerns Over the Harm of High-Stakes Tests
Nov 27 2001 - The School Administrator
As a new generation of high-stakes tests begins to yield consequences for schools and students, a growing number of school administrators who disagree with their state's testing policies are looking for ways to fight back. In many cases, this means walking a fine line between dissent and open defiance, as administrators try to minimize what they see as the negative impacts of high-stakes testing without putting their districts or their students at risk. Meanwhile, supporters of high-stakes testing maintain that testing systems, while not perfect, are still needed to ensure that schools maintain high expectations for all students and to satisfy the public's strong desire for accountability.
National Science Test Scores Show Flat Student Achievement; NSTA Responds
Nov 20 2001 - NSTA
The National Center for Education Statistics, an arm of the U.S. Education Department, released a key report today detailing student science achievement among the nation's fourth, eighth, and 12th graders. Overall, the report shows stagnant student test scores in science since 1996. Click the above link to get more information, including NSTA's response to the report.
Who's Scoring Those High-Stakes Tests? Poorly Trained Temps.
Oct 3 2001 - Christian Science Monitor
Student standardized test results are increasingly being tied to resource allocations and other important rewards and punishments for schools and teachers. But who’s scoring these tests? According to one scorer's first-hand account: “Instead of the professionals I’d envisioned, I found a room full of temporary employees who had little respect for their jobs...many without a college degree.” He concludes: “If most standardized tests are scored in an environment like the one I saw...then I don’t put much stock in the results.”
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