high stakes testing
TRANSCRIPT
Every year, millions of students just like this one take high-‐stakes, standardized tests just like the one he’s taking here.
Every year, millions of students just like this one take high-‐stakes, standardized tests just like the one he’s taking here.
The poten=al rewards for success have spawned another baAery of tests to prepare for the high stakes assessments…
This boy will take over 120 mandated standardized tests before he graduates. While the stakes of these tests are high, their value is very low. and, in some cases, another layer of tes=ng to prepare students for the tests that prepare them for the tests that most maAer.
What follows is a look at how a culture of tes=ng is threatening our educa=on system and stealing value from teachers, students, and taxpayers.
Fortunately, there may be something we can do about it... Hanging in the balance are billions of dollars in school funding, teacher bonuses and job security, and the decision on whether this student passes to the next grade.
Every year, millions of students just like this one take high-‐stakes, standardized tests just like the one he’s taking here.
The poten=al rewards for success have spawned another baAery of tests to prepare for the high stakes assessments…
This boy will take over 120 mandated standardized tests before he graduates. While the stakes of these tests are high, their value is very low. and, in some cases, another layer of tes=ng to prepare students for the tests that prepare them for the tests that most maAer.
What follows is a look at how a culture of tes=ng is threatening our educa=on system and stealing value from teachers, students, and taxpayers.
Fortunately, there may be something we can do about it... The poten=al rewards for success have spawned another baAery of tests to prepare for the high stakes assessments…
Every year, millions of students just like this one take high-‐stakes, standardized tests just like the one he’s taking here.
The poten=al rewards for success have spawned another baAery of tests to prepare for the high stakes assessments…
This boy will take over 120 mandated standardized tests before he graduates. While the stakes of these tests are high, their value is very low. and, in some cases, another layer of tes=ng to prepare students for the tests that prepare them for the tests that most maAer.
Every year, millions of students just like this one take high-‐stakes, standardized tests just like the one he’s taking here.
The poten=al rewards for success have spawned another baAery of tests to prepare for the high stakes assessments…
This boy will take over 120 mandated standardized tests before he graduates. While the stakes of these tests are high, their value is very low. This boy will take over 120 mandated standardized tests before he graduates.
Every year, millions of students just like this one take high-‐stakes, standardized tests just like the one he’s taking here.
The poten=al rewards for success have spawned another baAery of tests to prepare for the high stakes assessments…
This boy will take over 120 mandated standardized tests before he graduates. While the stakes of these tests are high, their value is very low.
Every year, millions of students just like this one take high-‐stakes, standardized tests just like the one he’s taking here.
The poten=al rewards for success have spawned another baAery of tests to prepare for the high stakes assessments…
This boy will take over 120 mandated standardized tests before he graduates. While the stakes of these tests are high, their value is very low. and, in some cases, another layer of tes=ng to prepare students for the tests that prepare them for the tests that most maAer.
What follows is a look at how a culture of tes=ng is threatening our educa=on system and stealing value from teachers, students, and taxpayers.
Every year, millions of students just like this one take high-‐stakes, standardized tests just like the one he’s taking here.
The poten=al rewards for success have spawned another baAery of tests to prepare for the high stakes assessments…
This boy will take over 120 mandated standardized tests before he graduates. While the stakes of these tests are high, their value is very low. and, in some cases, another layer of tes=ng to prepare students for the tests that prepare them for the tests that most maAer.
What follows is a look at how a culture of tes=ng is threatening our educa=on system and stealing value from teachers, students, and taxpayers.
Fortunately, there may be something we can do about it...
PASSING O N T H E
TEST HOW HIGH-STAKES TESTING THREATENS AMERICAN EDUCATION A N D W H A T W E C A N D O A B O U T I T
BY: K. RHODIE EDWARDS
WHAT ARE STANDARDIZED
TESTS?
HISTORY OF TESTING • Originated in China
• Popularized in U.S. • 1900s: IQ Test • 1910s: Military
Officer Candidacy • 1940s: ETS and
college admission
SOURCE: TIME.COM
USEFULNESS OF TESTING • More efficient than
individually graded tests.
• High-‐volume (high-‐N) tests allows for comparison between students.
• Reliable scale allows for absolute score insights.
An individual student in this class can easily be ranked against other students in the class or other classes who took the same exam.
High-‐quality assessments generate rich data and can provide valuable informa9on about student progress to teachers and parents, support accountability, promote high expecta=ons, and encourage equity for students of color and low-‐income students.
Center for American Progress:
WHY DO WE TEST?
WHY DO WE TEST?
• Required by No Child Left Behind
• Managed by states
• High-Stakes = big payoff
FEDERALLY MANDATED
DISTRICT MANDATED
GRANT REQUIRED
• Used mostly as a practice or check-in for federally mandated tests.
• Funds tied to completion of tests.
• Helps with broad adoption of policies and practices.
WHY DO WE TEST?
• Required by No Child Left Behind.
• Managed by states.
• High-Stakes
FEDERALLY MANDATED
DISTRICT MANDATED
GRANT REQUIRED
• Used mostly as a practice or check-in for federally mandated tests.
• Funds tied to completion of tests.
• Helps with broad adoption of policies and practices.
WHY DO WE TEST?
• Required by No Child Left Behind.
• Managed by states.
• High-Stakes
FEDERALLY MANDATED
DISTRICT MANDATED
GRANT REQUIRED
• Used mostly as a practice or check-in for federally mandated tests.
• Funds tied to completion of tests.
• Helps with broad adoption of policies and practices.
USING STANDARDIZED
TESTS
USES FOR TESTS Each test below is mandated by some districts for one or more grades
PRE-TESTS FOR COLLEGE
ENTRANCE TESTS
COLLEGE PREP EXAMS
COMMON-CORE-ALIGNED
ASSESSMENTS
COLLEGE ENTRANCE TESTS
STATEWIDE DIAGNOSTIC EXAMS
DISTRICT BENCHMARKING
EXAMS
KINDERGARTEN READINESS TESTS
HIGH SCHOOL EXIT EXAMS
GIFTED & TALENTED
ASSESSMENT
SOURCE: CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS
TIME SPENT TESTING • 2% on tes=ng
• 18% on “Test Prep”
• 10% of addi=onal =me is spent by teachers on test-‐related ac=vi=es.
School Time Devoted to Tes9ng
SOURCES: COUNCIL OF GREAT CITY SCHOOLS, UFTA
TIME SPENT TESTING • 2% on tes=ng
• 18% on “Test Prep”
• 10% of addi=onal =me is spent by teachers on test-‐related ac=vi=es.
School Time Devoted to Tes9ng
SOURCES: COUNCIL OF GREAT CITY SCHOOLS, UFTA
TIME SPENT TESTING • 2% on tes=ng
• 18% on “Test Prep”
• 10% of addi=onal =me is spent by teachers on test-‐related ac=vi=es.
School Time Devoted to Tes9ng
TIME SPENT TESTING • 2% on tes=ng
• 18% on “Test Prep”
• 10% of addi=onal =me is spent by teachers on test-‐related ac=vi=es.
School Time Devoted to Tes9ng Test-‐Focused School Days
65 Days
Involve
Tes9ng
Ac9vi9es
DIRECT COSTS OF TESTING • $400 -‐ $1100 per student per year.
SOURCE: CARNEGIE FOUNDATION
• Test licensing @ $250 • Prep materials @ $550 • Class Time Lost @ $300
INDIRECT COSTS OF TESTING TEACHER ATTRITION
• 45% of teachers considered quieng due to tes=ng.
• Per-‐teacher recruitment and induc=on costs of $4 K -‐ $ 18K.
• Annual NYC cost: $115 M
SOURCE: NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
MISUSING STANDARDIZED
TESTS T H E 3 0 0 P O U N D G O R I L L A I N T H E C L A S S R O O M : T E S T S D O N ’ T T E S T W H A T W E E X P E C T T H E M T O .
GOALS OF EDUCATION NOT TESTED
SURVEY OF THE US PUBLIC: PRESUMED GOALS OF EDUCATION
• Prepare children for ci9zenship
• Cul=vate a skilled workforce
• Teach cultural literacy
• Foster cri9cal thinking skills
• Develop individuals to compete in a global economy
SOURCE: CARNEGIE FOUNDATION
DESIRABLE SKILL SETS NOT TESTED
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16%
Analy=cal Skills MS PowerPoint
Organiza=onal Skills Works Independently
Self-‐Star=ng Problem Solving Detail Oriented
MS Office Communica=ons Skills
Percent Indica,ng Demand for Each Skill
SOURCE: INTERNATIONAL DATA CORPORATION
Employers To IDC: Math (Analytics) Is The Only Mission-Critical Skill Set Tested In Schools.
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
All Students Gr 3-‐5
All Students Gr 4
Hispanics Gr 3-‐5
Hispanics Gr 4
Variance Accounted for Year-‐to-‐Year
TESTS ARE NOT ACCURATE SMALL DATA SETS MEAN HIGH VARIANCE
This is known as an ‘N’ problem.
We are only that math scores for 4th grade Hispanic students can be accurately compared to the same group last year.
11% certain
SOURCE: BROOKINGS INSTITUTION
CLICK FOR MORE INFO
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
All Students Gr 3-‐5
All Students Gr 4
Hispanics Gr 3-‐5
Hispanics Gr 4
Variance Accounted for Year-‐to-‐Year
THE ‘N’ PROBLEM Let’s say one student doubles her score from one year to the next whi le the scores of her peers stay the same. This change wi l l have a bigger effect on the average score of three students than i t wi l l on the average score of 100. I f we use these averages to infer the scores of every student in the grade, the larger sample s ize wi l l be far more accurate. This is why, when we dri l l down into smal ler subgroups of students, or look only at one year of test results we see more var iance.
NEXT
THE ‘N’ PROBLEM
SOURCE: BROOKINGS INSTITUTION
So even i f the average for each groups tests scores is the same 200 points , what we might expect them to score the next t ime around var ies great ly between groups. The average for a l l students wi l l be between 146 & 254 i f we include only the 4t h grade tests , but the average for Hispanics may be as low as 22 or as high as 378. The more tests in the data set , the more accurate the score.
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
All Students Gr 3-‐5
All Students Gr 4
Hispanics Gr 3-‐5
Hispanics Gr 4
183
227
146
254 304
96
378
22
TESTS ARE NOT ACCURATE WALTER STROUP UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
72% of a test’s score measures students’ ability to take tests (constancy).
TESTS ARE NOT ACCURATE PEARSON’S RESONSE AS TEXAS TESTING PROVIDER
Actually, Stroup’s research shows that only 50.4% of results due to ‘constancy.’
SOURCE: PEARSON.COM
Marjorie Scardino. Pearson CEO 1997 - 2013
S o … i t ’ s m o r e l i k e a 2 0 0 p o u n d o r a n g u t a n
WHAT CAN WE
DO?
ALTERNATIVES TO TESTING
• Alleviates the ‘N’ problem
• Exacerbates other test-related problems.
TEST MORE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION
FOLLOW FINLAND
STEALTH ASSESSMENT
• Focus on teacher quality
• High standards, big investment
• Results take decades
• Assessment embedded in everyday tasks & games.
• Continuously measures skills, attitudes, abilities.
ALTERNATIVES TO TESTING
• Alleviates the ‘N’ problem
• Exacerbates other test-related problems.
TEST MORE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION
FOLLOW FINLAND
STEALTH ASSESSMENT
• Focus on teacher quality
• High standards, big investment
• Results take decades
• Assessment embedded in everyday tasks & games.
• Continuously measures skills, attitudes, abilities.
ALTERNATIVES TO TESTING
• Alleviates the ‘N’ problem
• Too many tests to prepare for.
TEST MORE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION
FOLLOW FINLAND
STEALTH ASSESSMENT
• Focus on teacher quality
• High standards, big investment
• Results take decades
• Assessment embedded in everyday tasks & games.
• Continuously measures skills, attitudes, abilities.
STEALTH ASSESSMENT IN ACTION TEACH TO ONE b y N ew C l a s s r o oms
• Every student has a laptop
• Every exercise is a stealthy assessment
• Data generates targeted lessons, leveled groups and pairs for next steps.
• $100 per student per year (math only) CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO LEARN MORE.
WHY STEALTH ASSESSMENT? TEACH TO ONE RESULTS
During its second year, the neediest Teach to One students improved 81% more than the national norm.
0.75
1
1.25
1.5
1.75
2
Low Achieving (n=2,029)
Average Achieving (n=1,381)
High Achieving (n=707)
Ra9o of Teach to One Student Math Gains to Na9onal Norms
Results are statistically significant to alpha = .001 for low and average achieving students.
STEALTH ASSESSMENT IN ACTION NEWTON’S PLAYGROUND
• Florida State University laboratory project
• TEACHES: physics
• ASSESSES: persistence, perfec=onism, organiza=on,
carefulness, physics CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO LEARN MORE.
Stealth assessments generate rich data and can provide valuable informa9on about student progress to teachers and parents, support accountability, promote high expecta=ons, and encourage equity for students of color and low-‐income students.
WHY STEALTH ASSESSMENT?
Which of Employers’ Most Requested Skillsets are Tested via Teach to One and Newton’s Playground?
WHY STEALTH ASSESSMENT?
It also empowers teachers to address student needs, adds =me back into the school day, and assesses our progress in
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16%
Analy=cal Skills MS PowerPoint
Organiza=onal Skills Works Independently
Self-‐Star=ng Problem Solving Detail Oriented
MS Office Communica=ons Skills
advancing popular and economic goals of educa=on.
WHAT STANDS IN
OUR WAY?
STUDENT DATA PRIVACY S E C U R I N G S T U D E N T D A T A F R E E S U S T O M O V E F O R W A R D
• Large-‐scale reforms stall when talks of student data privacy arise.
• Developers/corpora=ons need access to data for tools to be effec=ve.
• Parents are concerned about breach of sensi=ve student data.
• Schools are ill-‐equipped to manage data security. Source: Microsor.com
CURRENT LEGISLATION STUDENT DIGITAL PRIVACY AND PARENTAL RIGHTS ACT • Introduced to the House March 2015
• Cri=cized for being “toothless” because:
• Allows for loopholes
• Makes schools responsible for protec=on without considering feasibility of new requirements Speaker John A. Boehner, right, and Representa=ve Jared S. Polis (D-‐CO),
co-‐sponsor of the Student Digital Privacy and Parental Rights Act. Credit Pablo Mar,nez Monsivais/Associated Press
WHAT CAN YOU
DO?
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD EDUCATORS AND PARENTS SHOULD HAVE A VOICE IN THE BILL’S REVISIONS.
SIGN THE PETITION.
FREE STUDENTS FROM THE TEST.
THANK YOU. K . R H O D I E E D W A R D S
R H O D I E @ G M A I L . C O M
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