tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586988941850907367.post6367620470464859129..comments2024-03-24T11:39:28.574-04:00Comments on NYC Public School Parents: NYC standardized tests -- formative or not?Patrick Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10631038958645725010noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586988941850907367.post-28681653433806938422008-11-02T17:51:00.000-05:002008-11-02T17:51:00.000-05:00Yes, see this from the McGraw/Hill website:http://...Yes, see this from the McGraw/Hill website:<BR/><BR/>http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/releases/education/20060329.shtml<BR/><BR/><BR/>"We designed Acuity for teachers and classroom use," said Photeine Anagnostopoulos, president of McGraw-Hill Digital Learning. "The Acuity Diagnostic Benchmarks are tailored to district curriculum pacing and assess student retention and knowledge of core content areas. Diagnostic reports show specific mistakes students make so teachers can target instruction to improvement needs -- a powerful way to accelerate student performance and help educators meet achievement goals."<BR/><BR/>Multiple forms of the Acuity benchmarks are administered within a classroom period every two months to monitor student progress. These benchmarks are on a common scale so that student growth can be observed within and across the grades of a content area. Empirically-based predictions to expected performance on the state NCLB tests become increasingly accurate over the academic year with the administration of each Predictive Benchmark form."Leonie Haimsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17317355552298136811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586988941850907367.post-45480142386410082242008-10-26T18:46:00.000-04:002008-10-26T18:46:00.000-04:00Didn't Photo Anagnostopoulos develop the Acuity te...Didn't Photo Anagnostopoulos develop the Acuity tests? Could this possibly be a conflict of interest?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586988941850907367.post-91765648881756129382008-10-13T12:23:00.000-04:002008-10-13T12:23:00.000-04:00There is no reason why testing companies cannot pr...There is no reason why testing companies cannot produce formative tests. The fact that they are usually designed by teachers does not mean that they have to be.<BR/><BR/>In fact, given the poor ability of most teachers to design good tests -- due to lack fo training in what makes good design -- the testing company could likely do a much better job.<BR/><BR/>The problem is that these tests being sold as formatative are not. Repackaging summative tests as formative tests does not make them so. Trying to use them as such, does not make them so.<BR/><BR/>This is an other aspect of one of the huge problems with modern testing: misuse of tests. That is, tests designed for a particular use are being used for another. For example, tests which are supposedly designed to judge schools being used to judge teachers. Tests that designed to judge students in a broad way being used to judge schools. <BR/><BR/>Is this is a results of testing companies trying to oversell their products and maximize profit? Perhaps, but I have spoken to enough of them not to believe it. They, also, are very concerned about misuse of their tests. At the same time, there is a a growing appetite/demand for tests that they do not have ready to sell. In response to this demand, they are misselling, leading to misuse.<BR/><BR/>Let's be clear here. This is a demand-side problem, not a supply-side problem. It's not pushers, it's junkies. <BR/><BR/>No one is twisting their arms, rather they are banging on their doors, and they ARE answering. <BR/><BR/>No one wishes more than me that testing be done wisely and well. But, as a former teacher and someon who has studied educational measurement, I am under no illusions that teacher-made tests are very good products, either.Ceolafhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15038872543333554227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586988941850907367.post-11717514576896933032008-10-13T11:38:00.000-04:002008-10-13T11:38:00.000-04:00I have reposted the links, but they are also here:...I have reposted the links, but they are also here:<BR/><BR/>Princeton review:<BR/><BR/>http://schools.nyc.gov/daa/InterimAssessments/ela-math/NYC%20Interim%20Assessment.pdf<BR/><BR/>DOE<BR/><BR/>http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/8A63337A-7EA7-4A3E-89AB-675547C3AC20/37808/20082009_DYO_Periodic_Assessment_Policy1.pdf.Leonie Haimsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17317355552298136811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586988941850907367.post-71793967894254189172008-10-13T08:12:00.000-04:002008-10-13T08:12:00.000-04:00Thanks for posting this. Very timely and relevant....Thanks for posting this. Very timely and relevant.<BR/><BR/>The links to the BOE pdf and the Princeton review don't appear to be working. Can you repost the links?<BR/><BR/>Thanks!Jennifer Borgioli Binishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17490308598117294457noreply@blogger.com