Standardized Tests and

Grade Point Averages

Cornerstone Christian SchoolFall 2011

Why We’re Here:

• Carol Tipton, meeting in April 2010:– “We have to begin seriously and intentionally addressing the

end result.”• Jim Collins: – “You absolutely cannot begin a series of good decisions until

you have faced the brutal facts.

• We are a college prep school.

• Standardized tests are still tied to collegiate admissions, for good or for ill.

Standardized Tests

• “administered and scored in a consistent manner.”• Basically, this means scored by machine.• “Norm-referenced.”– ACT: Not technically.– SATs (K,1,2,4,6,8): Absolutely.

• This means that the test will be “curved” such that exactly half of the students will appear above / below average.– Percentiles. (75% means the student was the 25th-

brightest in a room of 100 on that test)

SAT / OLSAT 2011

K 1 2 4 6 80

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80

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100ReadingMathScienceSocial ScienceCompleteAbility

Shelby County System 2011 SAT

3 4 5 6 7 80

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100

ReadingMath

k 1 2 4 6 80

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K 1 2 4 6 80

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100

Benefits(as I see them)

• In an ideal situation, standardized tests are:– Efficient– Thorough– Conveniently communicated– Effective– Predictive

Criticisms of Standardized Tests:(from fairtest.org)

• Forces schools to “teach to the test”• Any single test can only measure a small part of

a student’s skill set.• Overemphasis on memorization and routine

procedures• Teachers may devalue thinking and applying

knowledge• Lowers academic expectations by teaching

students that their position is fixed.

What’s Changing

• The ACT has now added an optional writing section (which is required by many colleges)

• Over 840 4-year colleges have now abandoned the ACT to some degree as an acceptance criteria

• Now, in an effort to be clearer, the ACT has commissioned the idea of “benchmarks”

• English 18 / Math 22 / Reading 21 / Science 24

CCS ACT Performance (Last 6 Classes)

Further ExplanationThis data does not include those who left without graduating.

Average ACT (CCS History) 20.82979

Average ACT (since 2006) 20.79

Average ACT (all 4 yrs of HS at CCS since 2006) 21.45

Average ACT (7-12 experience at CCS) 21.80488

Entire School Career at CCS* 22.30435

Advanced Honors Diploma Recipients 23.8

*defined by being here every year you lived in this community or the school was open

Variables for ACT scores

• Student Plans:– Many non-collegiate students take the ACT one time

because they’re pushed to, and score poorly. Or students take it once, breath a sigh, and never attempt to raise their score

• Student preparation:– Many students fail to understand how the test works and

how to adequately prepare. Additionally, many students don’t worry about the ACT until

• Student ability– This is a legitimate variable, whether we admit it or not.

My primary concern

• Let me remind you of the graph of the CCS ACT scores for the last 6 classes:

• Notice the shape of the graph: bell curve

Graph of CCS student GPAs

Did you see it?

• PRACTICALLY EVERYBODY makes nothing but As and Bs.

• We have to decide if this is a problem.• If not, we don’t change anything.• If so, we begin discussing steps.

Problem Plan Target

Test scores that are good, but could be better.

ACT prep weekly in grades 7-12.ACT Boot Camp each summer (optional).Identifying students with no college plans / provide counsel.

Average ACT = 22Each class = +10 SAT / OLSAT margin

Grade Inflation Minimizing graded work, maximizing student-driven practice.Emphasis on test performance and creation.Basic shift in how we look at grades: reflection of competence.List of “competence indicators” for each unit of study (trial basis in English this year)

GPA / ACT equivalence

Clear Communication regarding Grades

See sample report cards & Marzano packet N/A