State Test?
Posted by drpezz on January 25, 2008
Why do so many states create their own state test?
I’d love to see every state use the ACT and SAT with every high school student. Maybe each state could divert the funds currently used for their own state tests to pay for all students to take one or both of these national exams. Results could be compared and contrasted, and every state would know how their kids stack up. Plus, these tests are about as objective as we’re going to get.
While I’m not for any test used for graduation, I’d rather have something everyone takes.
Frumteacher said
Thanks for dropping by and adding me to your blogroll!
I still haven’t decided on the move to wordpress, but you seem to have found your place around here!
drpezz said
I really like the flexibility of the site and the number of formats. Good luck on the decision.
Nancy Flanagan said
I live in a state which has had statewide assessments since time began. Well, OK, since the 70s, which makes my state one of the earliest to agree that it was a good idea to measure learning across diverse districts, and attach assessments to statewide curriculum frameworks. In fact, having state tests (decades before they were required) did some very good things: because the tests were rigorous, they began driving instruction. If it was on the test, teachers felt obliged to teach it, and schools monitored what was being taught. All good.
And then my state decided to use the ACT as its HS benchmark test. Wait a minute, everyone said. The ACT is not connected to the curriculum we’re supposed to be teaching–and wasn’t that the point, deciding what content was important, and honing in on that? So, we now administer the ACT and another test which covers those curriculum benchmarks. In addition to confusing the general public about how our state compares, we now have a larger pool of ACT takers–since everyone is now required to take it, not just college-bound kids. Therefore, our ACT average score went down. Not a whole lot (interestingly), but enough to make the headlines in the newspapers read “ACT Scores Down!” and make us drop from above-average to just-below-average.
Be careful what you wish for. The only upside that I can see is that kids who might not have taken the ACT now have to take it, and for some, knowledge of a decent score might set them on a path to college.
drpezz said
Interesting points, Nancy.
My state can’t seem to agree on what should be on the test, how standards should be measures, and whether or not using objective questions should be used. The test keeps changing! At least with the ACT or SAT, the subjectivity of the scoring would be gone as well as quite a bit of the cost, and one alternative means we accept (if the current state test is not passed) is the SAT or the ACT.
I would actually like all of our students to take the ACT and SAT regardless of whether or not we use it as a state test. We would truly see how the kids match up, and we could eliminate a barrier for some kids. My district is considering this for all of our juniors right now (just as we already pay for AP tests if students show a financial hardship).
I’ll take your points into consideration. Thanks for the heads up on your state’s dilemma.