Study on Urban Schools: Students take too many Redundant Tests

Posted on November 17, 2015November 13, 2015 by coreeducation

A recent study conducted by the Council of the Great City Schools, based in Washington and representing the nation’s largest urban school districts, gauges the scope of tests being administered to students. The findings are that the tests are, according to Denisa Superville from Education Week: redundant, misaligned with college- and career-ready standards, and not Read more about Study on Urban Schools: Students take too many Redundant Tests[…]

The Nation’s Report Card shows U.S. Scores Slipping for Reading and Math

Posted on November 11, 2015November 7, 2015 by coreeducation

New results from the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), or Nation’s Report Card, show a slowing or drop of both fourth-grade and eighth-grade students scores for 2015. This is the first recorded decline in scores since the assessment started being administered in 1990. The new results — on a scale of Read more about The Nation’s Report Card shows U.S. Scores Slipping for Reading and Math[…]

Darling-Hammond Launches New Research Think Tank

Posted on October 13, 2015October 22, 2015 by coreeducation

Well-known Stanford education reformer Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond has recently launched a new think tank to help reform American education, with a focus on deeper learning to equip students for the 21st century economy. The Learning Policy Institute has the backing of many large donors and has other notable education leaders on board, including Dr. Henry Read more about Darling-Hammond Launches New Research Think Tank[…]

NWEA Launches New Initiative to Examine & Improve Assessment Education for Teachers

Posted on October 8, 2015October 22, 2015 by coreeducation

The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) has announced a new initiative designed to advance teacher preparation and professional development in the use of assessment in teaching and learning. The initiative includes a Task Force that will guide efforts to improve assessment literacy nationwide and the newly expanded AssessmentLiteracy.org website that will provide extensive resources to foster Read more about NWEA Launches New Initiative to Examine & Improve Assessment Education for Teachers[…]

State Standards and Assessment Landscape is Continuing to Shift

Posted on August 24, 2015December 22, 2015 by coreeducation

As we move into the 2015-16 school year, the standards and assessments landscape is continuing to shift. State legislative and executive actions over the past year have resulted in changes to how, when – and in some cases, if – districts and schools will implement Common Core and aligned-assessments. An overwhelming majority of states are Read more about State Standards and Assessment Landscape is Continuing to Shift[…]

Is This The Beginning Of The End For The SAT And ACT?

Posted on August 19, 2015August 9, 2015 by coreeducation

George Washington University, a private university with just over 10,000 undergraduate students, has recently announced that they will become a test (SAT/ACT) optional college for admissions. Other colleges have been test-optional for decades, but not many with the high profile or number of students like George Washington. Other test-optional colleges have relied their ability to Read more about Is This The Beginning Of The End For The SAT And ACT?[…]

Is PARCC in trouble?

Posted on August 18, 2015August 9, 2015 by coreeducation

2014-2015 was the first year in which states rolled out Common Core aligned, value-added tests. These tests promised to be better at evaluating the real progress (or lack of progress) that students are making than previous tests because they would be computerized and therefore able to include more interactive types of questioning. Yes, the rollout Read more about Is PARCC in trouble?[…]

Grading Teachers by the Test

Posted on July 10, 2015September 12, 2020 by coreeducation

Eduardo Porter of the New York Times has an ongoing economic column that at times addresses education. An issue that he took up not long ago concerns the increasingly common phenomenon of value added testing. In particular, Porter wants to highlight the potential role of “Goodhart’s Law” related to education testing and teacher evaluation. Goodhart’s Read more about Grading Teachers by the Test[…]

Policy Brief: Curriculum-Embedded Performance Assessments (CEPAs)

Posted on May 5, 2015May 4, 2015 by coreeducation

Educational assessments provide data that give policymakers a “snapshot” of how students are performing and serve as a means of holding teachers, schools, and districts accountable. Many contend, however, that assessments could do more to promote deeper learning in K–12 environments. One interesting possibility is the use of Curriculum-Embedded Performance Assessments (CEPAs). Key Ideas: CEPAs Read more about Policy Brief: Curriculum-Embedded Performance Assessments (CEPAs)[…]

Defining College and Career Readiness

Posted on April 29, 2015March 3, 2020 by coreeducation

As a result of changes in the global economy, educators, education researchers, and national and state policymakers have emphasized that students must graduate from high school “ready for college and career.” But opinions differ about what college and (especially) career readiness actually means and how best to assess it. ACT has been refining and deepening Read more about Defining College and Career Readiness[…]

PARCC Releases Practice Tests for all Grade Levels

Posted on February 11, 2015February 8, 2015 by coreeducation

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessments are the product of a testing consortium attempting to provide 21st century testing to measure 21st century skills. Here is PARCC’s own description of their role: PARCC is your state’s homegrown assessment. PARCC is not a testing company – it’s a group of Read more about PARCC Releases Practice Tests for all Grade Levels[…]

Online Resource puts NAEP Data at your Fingertips

Posted on October 16, 2014October 11, 2014 by coreeducation

As someone who cares about education, you may already know the value of The Nation’s Report Card – the nation’s gold standard for measuring student achievement. Whether or not you’re new to the report card – also known as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) – there’s a new way to get to know Read more about Online Resource puts NAEP Data at your Fingertips[…]

Achieve Creates Tool to Help School Districts Track Their Use of Assessments

Posted on October 2, 2014September 26, 2014 by coreeducation

Earlier this summer, Achieve launched the Student Assessment Inventory for School Districts, a new tool to help school district leaders to take stock of how many assessments are administered throughout a school year and for what purposes they are given. Designed from a student perspective, the tool can be used by education leaders to make Read more about Achieve Creates Tool to Help School Districts Track Their Use of Assessments[…]

New Assessments: A Guide for State Policymakers

Posted on May 6, 2014May 6, 2014 by coreeducation

States face a critical decision in the next year: how to assess student learning against new college- and career-ready standards. This decision has important ramifications, because testing and assessment have long had a powerful influence on instructional practice. Thus the assessment that states choose will affect teaching and learning in virtually every classroom. This guide Read more about New Assessments: A Guide for State Policymakers[…]

At-A-Glance Summaries of the Six Assessment Consortia

Posted on April 1, 2014 by coreeducation

As several of the assessment consortia begin field-testing this spring, public interest and questions are increasing rapidly. We hope these up-to-date one-page summaries of each of the six multistate consortia are helpful in your communications activities. The Comprehensive Assessment Consortia: PARCC http://www.k12center.org/rsc/pdf/k12_center_parcc.pdf Smarter Balanced http://www.k12center.org/rsc/pdf/k12_center_smarter_balanced.pdf Summary of Key Similarities and Differences http://www.k12center.org/rsc/pdf/key_diffs_handout_march%202014.pdf The Alternate Read more about At-A-Glance Summaries of the Six Assessment Consortia[…]