State tests that are useful for both instruction and accountability: A conversation with New Meridian’s Arthur VanderVeen (Part II)
Arthur VanderVeen is the founder and CEO of New Meridian, an assessment design and development company. Today, it works with over 2,500 districts in five states. Because of New Meridian’s leadership in response to the call for better measures, I wanted to take a closer look under the hood of their efforts. In the second […]
State tests that are useful for both instruction and accountability: A conversation with New Meridian’s Arthur VanderVeen (Part I)
Arthur VanderVeen is the founder and CEO of New Meridian, an assessment design and development company. Today, it works with over 2,500 districts in five states. Because of New Meridian’s leadership in response to the call for better measures, I wanted to take a closer look under the hood of their efforts. In part one […]
Four recommendations for improving IADA
By Dale Chu Earlier this month, the Collaborative for Student Success proudly joined a group of thirteen signatories in submitting a response to the U.S. Department of Education’s request for information (RFI) on the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority (IADA) pilot. A putative first step of re-regulation, you can read more about the RFI here. Notably, […]
Demystifying state assessments
By Dale Chu Bellwether just released a set of briefs—six in total—that offer a primer on how state standardized assessments are developed, scored, and reported. With spring testing season now upon us, the timing of Bellwether’s latest publication is right, and comes as standardized exams continue to face political headwinds. More myth-busting, as is the […]
IADA intrigue
By Dale Chu The U.S. Department of Education just put out a request for information (RFI) on the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority (IADA) pilot. The feds are asking whether there are better ways to measure comparability, if states could use a planning period (one or two years), and what other barriers are preventing states from […]
The tortuous road to more inclusive and innovative assessments
By Dale Chu Last month, the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) released an important and insightful report titled, “Inclusive, Innovative Assessments for Students With Learning Disabilities.” It reflects findings gathered from surveys and focus groups NCLD conducted in 2022—with educators of students with disabilities, caregivers, and young adults with disabilities—to better understand their perceptions […]
Guest Post: To catalyze assessment innovation, Uncle Sam must step up
Lindsay Fryer is the president and founding principal of Lodestone DC, an education consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. She’s also a friend, and one of the few people I know who geeks out on state testing as much as I do. Today, a guest post by Lindsay offers concrete steps on how the federal […]
Blowing the whistle on Maine’s flagrant fouls with testing
By Dale Chu I’ve made no bones about Uncle Sam’s laissez-faire approach to state testing throughout the pandemic, so count me as pleasantly surprised at the news last Friday that the U.S. Department of Education (USED) lowered the boom on the state of Maine, one of two states that have still not released statewide test […]
Houses, macarons, and state testing data
By Dale Chu Earlier this month, we refreshed the Assessment HQ website to reflect student proficiency data and information on participation rates for the 2021-22 school year. An update to the press release was also issued, regarding the progress of students in math. Instead of calling out the slower rate of recovery in mathematics versus […]
New Assessment HQ Update
By Dale Chu Roses are red. Violets are blue. The most comprehensive state testing data Is only available at Assessment HQ! On this Valentine’s Day, may you be surrounded by love, romance, and glitteringly exquisite assessment data that would sweep both Jared and his paramours off of their feet! All kidding aside, there’s a lot […]