NY to reduce standardized testing

[Lutherf]

NY to reduce standardized testing - New York News

I like this part -

Noting that the frequency and number of tests has remained relatively constant over the past 10 years, King wrote that education officials "recognize that a variety of pressures at the state and local level may have resulted in more testing than is needed and in rote test preparation that crowds out quality instruction."

and this -

Grants will be provided to help school districts reduce local standardized tests, the letter states.

Just so I'm clear on this....there will be grants provided for the purpose of getting rid of tests? Really? How much money does it cost to stop doing something?

Also, if you're giving kids X number of tests and it isn't bringing their grades up then wouldn't it be the teaching that's the problem and not the test? I mean, seriously, a test is designed to measure the competence level of the students. If they aren't competent then simply getting rid of the tests doesn't solve the problem!

Good grief.....we are so freaking screwed as a nation if this is the kind of thinking that prevails in our public services.

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[MaggieD]

NY to reduce standardized testing - New York News

I like this part -

and this -



Just so I'm clear on this....there will be grants provided for the purpose of getting rid of tests? Really? How much money does it cost to stop doing something?

Also, if you're giving kids X number of tests and it isn't bringing their grades up then wouldn't it be the teaching that's the problem and not the test? I mean, seriously, a test is designed to measure the competence level of the students. If they aren't competent then simply getting rid of the tests doesn't solve the problem!

Good grief.....we are so freaking screwed as a nation if this is the kind of thinking that prevails in our public services.

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I've never understood the argument that too many tests, evaluating with tests, causes teachers to "teach to the test." As if that's a bad thing. For the life of me, I can't understand why teaching to a test is a bad thing. If you expect students to know certain things? Test for them. All of them.

 

[Fisher]

My guess would be that school systems are under contract with standardized test providers and that it will cost money to bail out of the contracts.

 

[Lutherf]

I've never understood the argument that too many tests, evaluating with tests, causes teachers to "teach to the test." As if that's a bad thing. For the life of me, I can't understand why teaching to a test is a bad thing. If you expect students to know certain things? Test for them. All of them.

It goes hand in hand with eliminating all forms of competition and common core where "success" is purely subjective.

Why should any kid try to accomplish anything if not only the consequences for failure are removed but also the means by which to measure success or failure?

 

[Carjosse]

It goes hand in hand with eliminating all forms of competition and common core where "success" is purely subjective.

Why should any kid try to accomplish anything if not only the consequences for failure are removed but also the means by which to measure success or failure?

Because standardized tests are a horrible way to do it.

 

[Lutherf]

Because standardized tests are a horrible way to do it.

Really?

Standardized tests exist because part of measuring a students competence level involves having some kind of standard to measure it against. What's your suggestion?

 

[Carjosse]

Really?

Standardized tests exist because part of measuring a students competence level involves having some kind of standard to measure it against. What's your suggestion?

I do not have an idea I just know that standardized tests do not work. Take my Ontario Literacy Test for example me and my friends get rather high marks in English (90s) but on the literacy test we get around a 70% because it is bull****, having students write about completely irrelevant and stupid things or read a passage about plastic bags is not a good way to gauge literacy and the marking scheme is also horrid. Finland does fine without them and is one of the best in the world.

 

[sangha]

I've never understood the argument that too many tests, evaluating with tests, causes teachers to "teach to the test." As if that's a bad thing. For the life of me, I can't understand why teaching to a test is a bad thing. If you expect students to know certain things? Test for them. All of them.

1) It encourages teachers to teach only what is likely to be on the test, ignoring other areas that are not.

2) It encourages teachers to spend time teaching their students how to take tests, instead of teaching them the subject matter

3) It discourages the teaching of things that are not amenable to testing or that are not likely to be on the test

 

[MaggieD]

1) It encourages teachers to teach only what is likely to be on the test, ignoring other areas that are not.

2) It encourages teachers to spend time teaching their students how to take tests, instead of teaching them the subject matter

3) It discourages the teaching of things that are not amenable to testing or that are not likely to be on the test

Then we need better tests. Everything we expect kids to learn should be on them. Kids don't have to be taught how to take tests, so I don't buy that particular argument. Everything's amenable to testing.

 

[sangha]

Then we need better tests. Everything we expect kids to learn should be on them. Kids don't have to be taught how to take tests, so I don't buy that particular argument. Everything's amenable to testing.

Kids don't need to be taught how to take tests, I agree. However, research has shown that test scores can be increased by teaching students how to take tests and since so much is riding on how the kids do, the schools end up teaching them how to take tests

Also, there are some things that can't be measured accurately with a test even though they are worth teaching like music and art.

In addition, how does the kid who has a unique perspective on a subject (such as history) get credit for that on a test?

And just to be clear, I do think kids should be tested. I just object to the over reliance on them and making them the sole means of grading and funding schools.