[MOSAIC] norm referenced tests

[Heather Blau]

Elaine,

I teach in New York City where school reform is being driven by data  
in excess.  Our schools receive a letter grade (A, B, ...F) based on  
85% norm reference tests (15% on parent and teacher surveys).  I am a  
part of a group of parents gearing up to challenge the logic of  
weighing norm referenced tests so heavily.  Do you or others know  
where we can turn for support to back up your statement:

"The fact that some kids must be left behind is built right into the  
system"?

Of course, the general logic seems obvious to some of us, but not to  
the powers that be.  Parents and teachers here would like to revisit  
the basic assumptions behind these tests and consider alternatives.   
Anyone out there know where this might be happening?

Thanks,
Heather

On May 25, 2007, at 11:55 AM, elaine garan wrote:

> I will tell you the truth. The benchmarks, what subject matter is
> important to test (in other words, the test questions) are decided  
> by a
> bunch of people sitting around a desk somewhere-- some of whom never
> even taught-- As for grade level, I believe that's done statistically.
> That is, large numbers of kids are tested. The results are normed.
> Those normed results are put on a scale. Loosely put, what most kids
> can do at a certain grade becomes the norm. However, as I said at the
> beginning, WHAT kids need to know is purely arbitrary. It is the
> opinion of the people who happen to be making up the test questions.
>
> What's more, as soon as test scores improve and too many kids start
> doing too well--- the tests are renormed to ensure that there is a
> sufficient number of kids who fail. If every kid in the country  
> because
> of brilliant teaching on our part made incredible strides on those
> tests, they'd just renorm and make sure enough of them and of  
> course we
> as teachers are failures. That's a fact. The fact that some kids must
> be left behind is built right into the system.
>
> On Friday, May 25, 2007, at 07:22 AM, Renee wrote:
>
>>
>> On May 25, 2007, at 4:23 AM, Readinglady1 at aol.com wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> In a message dated 5/23/2007 10:27:39 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>>> phoenixone at sbcglobal.net writes:
>>>
>>> Who  decides what "on grade level" actually means?
>>> What is the measurement that  determines whether or not a child  
>>> is "on
>>> grade  level"?
>>>
>>>
>>> There are benchmarks for each grade level.  These are used as
>>> measures.
>>>
>>> Laura
>>
>>
>> I return to my original question. Who decides on these benchmarks?  
>> How
>> are they created?
>>
>> Renee
>>
>>
>> "Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true  
>> happiness. It
>> is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a
>> worthy purpose."
>> ~Helen Keller
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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