Excerpts from this article:
…Failure to use the correct assessment method, focus, or reporting method will lead to ineffective or counterproductive decisions.
…Rarely is delayed learning the result of failure to learn prerequisite skills. Delayed learning typically results from nonacademic issues, depression, poor eyesight or hearing, lack of study skills, not being familiar with the language or culture of the test, etc.
…State Educational Agencies – Can you demonstrate to concerned citizens that your mandated standardized tests serve their intended purpose? Can you verify that the tests both accurately and precisely provide useful data?
…Teachers - Have you been trained to understand the limits to accuracy and precision for the standardized tests you are required to use? Have you observed a mismatch between the test scores and your students’ real performance?
…Parents – Your child will be required to take many standardized tests. Decisions about how to treat your child, the teacher, and the school, will be based on the results of those tests. But, in many cases, the tests can not provide information that is both sufficiently accurate and precise to justify the decisions.
Go to this link for more:
http://conceptualmath.org/misc/testchoice.htm
Go to this link for part 1 of this series:
http://conceptualmath.org/misc/testshort.htm
Go to this link for part 2 of this series:
http://conceptualmath.org/misc/MAPtest.htm
Go to this link for part 3 of this series:
http://conceptualmath.org/misc/testsupport.htm
Go to this link for part 4 of this series:
http://conceptualmath.org/misc/testadmin.htm
Go to this link for part 5 of this series:
http://conceptualmath.org/philo/weak_acad.htm
