End of course exams should be a matter of course
By Dale Chu A new study released today by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute looks at End of Course Exams (EOCs) and their relationship with high school graduation rates and college entrance exam scores. Not to be confused with high school exit exams—tests students must pass to receive their high school diploma—EOCs are rarely high […]
Musical chairs and the politics of state assessments
By Dale Chu Over the summer, Tennessee signed a contract with their third company in five years to administer the state’s testing system. As demonstrated by the “Assessments by State” map on our homepage, the lack of consistency is hardly unique to the Volunteer State (though they’ve had a particularly bumpy ride). Not to be […]
States are closing the honesty gap, but will it last?
By Dale Chu Some honest-to-goodness good news today: The latest National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) study shows that states have raised the cut scores for proficiency on state tests. Both Education Week and U.S. News and World Report have strong write-ups on the study. What this news means is that the honesty gap—the discrepancy […]
Back to school season is a busy one for state testing
Author: Dale Chu With many students returning to school this month, high-quality annual assessments and the significant role they play are as pressing as ever. Annual tests help us all (1) take stock of how well states are doing; (2) gauge state progress toward workforce readiness; and (3) ground education policies and practices in real […]
Game-based assessments: hollow promise or promising frontier?
Author: Dale Chu When it comes to the future of assessments, gaming is often enthusiastically cited as a potential solution. After all, if standardized tests are boring and gaming is fun, the race to replace the former with the latter is entirely comprehensible. The aura of innovation and excitement surrounding video games, in particular, makes […]
Testing Provides Crucial Information
Statewide annual assessments offer insights into whether students are receiving an equitable and excellent education. By Marc H. Morial For more than century, the National Urban League has empowered parents and students in underserved and urban communities to achieve equality in education, jobs, and justice. As a legacy civil rights organization, we recognize the power […]
The SAT “adversity score” brouhaha misses the mark on what matters most
Author: Dale Chu To kick things off here at Testing 1-2-3, let’s take a look at one of the biggest assessment stories of the day. In the wake of the college admissions scandal, the College Board’s announcement last month of a new “adversity score” to measure a student’s school and environmental context was a lit […]
Testing 1-2-3 Blog
Author: Dale Chu Welcome to Testing 1-2-3, my new blog on state practices around annual assessments here at Assessment HQ! Sure, the education policy world is chock full of commentary, but there aren’t any outlets I can think of that focus exclusively on the state of assessments across the country. Why assessments and why now? […]