FairTest, an organization that “advances quality education and equal opportunity by promoting fair, open, valid and educationally beneficial evaluations of students, teachers and schools”, has prepared a report on confirmed incidences of schools cheating on standardized tests in recent years. The report includes discussion of multiple means through which schools Read more
The issue of whether and how much computers should be responsible for student grading has been around for decades, but the recent advent of MOOCs and the upcoming implementation of Common Core tests has brought the issue to the forefront yet again. One MOOC, edX, has recently developed software, which Read more
Recently, Joshua Starr, the Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools (MD), one of the wealthiest, largest, and high-achieving school districts in the United States, went public with his idea that there be a three-year moratorium on federally mandated standardized testing. He is not fundamentally opposed to all standardized testing, but Read more
The two multistate organizations tasked with developing math and ELA assessment systems to support the Common Core, Smarter Balanced and the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), have been hard at work over the past several months. To help keep interested parties updated on their activities, Read more
In a recent commentary for The Huffington Post, Harvard professor Dr. Thomas Payzant focuses attention on how accountability systems for teachers and leaders can be done better in this country. Not only are high-stakes evaluations stressful for superintendents, as illustrated by the high turnover rates around the country, but for Read more
n the August 31, 2011 issue of Education Week, former educator Ama Nyamekye reflects on the controversy surrounding high-stakes testing. In college, she was active in protesting these types of tests and thought that “good teachers should be left to their own devices.” She writes, “ I was certain that Read more
The Christian Science Monitor reported on July 5 that at least 178 teachers and principals in Atlanta Public Schools cheated to raise student scores on standardized tests, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). So far 82 teachers and principals have confessed to changing student answers and conspiring to Read more