Search Results for: node/virginia Schools

by Angela Engel Conversations in education have been dominated by the topic of test scores for the past two decades. Standardized tests are currently lauded as “the answer” to teacher accountability, higher student achievement, standards, and expectations. Claims of “objective measures,” and “scientific evaluations” promise to “fix” our schools and improve learning for children once […]

We hope you find these weekly news summaries useful in advancing your important work. You can help support the assessment reform movement financially by making a contribution at:https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/fairtestor clicking: Remember that back issues of these updates are archived athttp://www.fairtest.org/news/other NationalMore States Using Accountability Dashboards Instead of Simplistic Test-Based Gradeshttp://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2018/05/essa_dashboards_accountability_school_ratings.htmlFloridaSchool Board Weighs In Against Proposal to […]

The 2016-2017 academic year is barely underway, but grassroots assessment reform pressure is already producing positive changes in both K-12 schools and university admission policies. Remember that back issues of these weekly updates are archived at: https://fairtest.orgdata.com.org/news/other — friends and colleagues can sign up at: https://fairtest.orgdata.com.org/weekly-news-signup National ESSA Raises Stakes in 2016 State Electionshttp://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/09/14/essa-raises-k-12-stakes-in-…National Opt-Out […]

Status: Archived Subject: K-12 Testing In their struggle to stem an intense and growing backlash against the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law (see story, p. 9), federal officials continue to cut deals with states to ease the demands of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). As a consequence, the prediction that this fall’s results would […]

Status: Archived Subject: K-12 Testing Control of schooling through testing — deliberately fostering a teach-to-the-test approach — is once again gaining ground in the US, particularly in schools serving low-income and minority-group children. Based on the drive to raise standards, policymakers and educators reduce schooling to test coaching, often lowering, not raising, standards and narrowing […]

The national wave of opposition to test misuse and overuse continues to swell even as media attention focuses on the closing days of election season. All winning candidates will have to pay heed to the rising tide of grassroots pressure for many fewer standardized exams, an end to high-stakes testing and support for better assessments. […]

New York Performance Standards Consortium (Updated March, 2018) Performance-based assessment works well for all students, but its success with the most vulnerable students is what makes the outcomes of the New York Performance Standards Consortiumso impressive. Central to the Consortium’s success are its “proven practitioner developed, student-focused performance assessments.” These are created by teachers and […]

Status: Archived Subject: K-12 Testing The second report on No Child Left Behind (NCLB) from the Public Education Network (PEN) sharply criticizes the law’s overemphasis on testing and punishment, lack of support for real school improvement, and the unwillingness of the government to enforce the parent and community involvement requirements of the law. The report […]

Status: Archived Subject: K-12 Testing FairTest Examiner, July 2009 Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) has stalled, with most observers agreeing it will be 2010 before there is significant Congressional action. Instead, attention has focused on the use of education stimulus funds, particularly the “four assurances” that states will have to provide […]

Status: Archived Subject: University Testing The key testing and accountability provisions of the new, 1000-plus page Elementary and Secondary Education Act (“No Child Left Behind Act”) are in Title I, the part of the law intended to improve education for “disadvantaged” children. Each state is required to have content and performance standards in both reading […]