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WHAT DO TEST SCORES REALLY REPRESENT?
Very shortly we will once again start the administration of state ELA and math testing in our schools. These tests are not only "high stakes" for students, but also for school districts as a whole. We have a tendency to make broad judgments about the effectiveness of our schools as well as the achievement of individual students based on state test results. Just what do these test scores really represent? This past September, an article regarding the curving of grades appeared in the New York Times. The article pointed out that seventh grade students throughout the state who took the mathematics assessment last year had to answer only 44 percent of the questions correctly to earn a passing grade. Scores on the state assessments are scaled from levels 1 through 4 and students scoring a 3 or 4 are considered to have scored at or above their grade level. Grading curves are used for all state assessments including Regents examinations. On the algebra examination given in 2008 and 2009, a student had to score only 30 of 87 points, or 34 percent, to get a passing grade of 65. Keep in mind that Regents examinations are required for students to earn a high school diploma. The state's shift from Regents Competency Tests to more comprehensive and difficult Regents examinations as the basis for the graduation standard was espoused by the state as its strategy to "raise the bar" of student achievement. Many educators, however, believe that this change did not meet that goal. Regents examinations are graded on a scale of less than 100 and then conversion tables that are difficult to understand are used to enable the artificial scaling of scores. The State Education Department can then make sure an acceptable percentage of students will pass the examination. The state's testing program leaves much room for uncertainty about just what level of achievement a high school diploma represents. It raises questions about the relevancy of these tests and if the bar was really ever raised at all. State learning standards and state assessments were developed to facilitate improved student achievement and increased accountability. These are noble goals. However, when tests scores are determined using obscure methods, there can be little confidence in what those scores really represent. The current trend of increased numbers of students earning Regents diplomas does not necessarily mean that student achievement is improving. It underscores the need to view test results with a degree of skepticism. We must not rely solely on test scores to measure the academic success of our students. Rather, we must seek more authentic methods to assess student learning. James Parla Superintendent of Schools |