Coburn Source B by Paige Coburn

Study says standardized testing is overwhelming nation’s public schools

pecoburn19 — 2017-04-10 13:28:01 UTC

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/study-says-standardized-testing-is-overwhelming-nations-public-schools/2015/10/24/8a22092c-79ae-11e5-a958-d889faf561dc_story.html

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pecoburn19 — 2017-04-10 13:29:13 UTC

In “moderation, smart, strategic tests can help us measure our kids’ progress in school, and it can help them learn,” Obama said. “But I also hear from parents who, rightly, worry about too much testing, and from teachers who feel so much pressure to teach to a test that it takes the joy out of teaching and learning, both for them and for the students. I want to fix that.”

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pecoburn19 — 2017-04-11 12:57:42 UTC

Robert Schaeffer says students are "preparing for the test,preparing to the test,preparing for the test" Robert Schaeffer is part of of the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, a nonprofit organization critical of standardized testing.

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pecoburn19 — 2017-04-11 12:57:56 UTC

“It’s a colossal amount of time,” he said. “I probably spend about 60 hours not teaching reading but just sort of giving those assessments. They’re valuable but not that valuable.”

The study found no correlation between the amount of testing in a district and the way its students perform on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a federal test given every two years that is the only consistent measure of student achievement across state lines.

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pecoburn19 — 2017-04-11 12:58:19 UTC

Casserly has surveyed 40% of districts and said that "the test results are not available until the following year, making it hard for teachers to help the students with what the student is struggling with."

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pecoburn19 — 2017-04-11 12:58:33 UTC

"The agency is recommending that states cap the amount of time devoted to test-taking to no more than 2 percent of class time. A similar proposal is part of the bill pending in the Senate to replace No Child Left Behind. Casserly cautioned against an arbitrary limit, saying he is concerned that states would indiscriminately lop off tests to meet a federal testing cap. A better approach, he said, would be a coordinated effort among all players — federal, state and local — to come up with a more thoughtful system. "

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pecoburn19 — 2017-04-11 12:58:45 UTC

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pecoburn19 — 2017-04-12 22:04:13 UTC

Standardized test scores are not being used for diagnostic prposes but as a clumsey way to penalize or evaluate schools,teachers, and students. http://bigthink.com/think-tank/standardized-testing-the-monster-that-ate-american-education

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pecoburn19 — 2017-04-12 22:10:57 UTC

"When standardized exams become all important in a school or district, it has a massive impact on teaching and learning. Educators frequently start “teaching to the test” if they feel that their evaluations (and jobs) solely depend on how well students perform. Educators may also stop trying new techniques and teaching methods in the classroom. With every minute counting on the way to their students’ next exam, teachers will worry that an untested method will backfire and their students will score worse than before. This comes at the cost of inquiry, engagement, creativity and risk taking in student learning."https://www.whitbyschool.org/passionforlearning/the-pros-and-cons-of-standardized-testing