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Saturday, April 7, 2012

The Data says the FCAT is uesless

From Education Next, by Dianne Haufmann

This post comes from a parent who opted her gifted child out of the FCAT last year. Certainly, prior attempts had been made to remedy a situation I found unacceptable. In fact, sitting as one of three parents on the state's first Gifted Advisory Committee was one of them...but let's get to the point. My child was taking an AP Composition class and Geometry in grade 9, neither course of which I felt would have been the content of the grade 9 FCAT the state would have her take. Why then would I find the results useful to her? I could not find a reason. Why would I have her take a test to help her school? That has never been the reason I sent my children to school, so that the school may benefit. Instead, I have been consistently active in trying to ensure that my children, and others like them, benefit. I was told my child would be looked at for remediation and retention, a set of two possible consequences I found slightly amusing given that she was taking courses beyond typical age placement. I asked to be part of that conversation and for a meeting to document my opting out decision. My daughter was not retained or forced into remediation.

After one paragraph about the sad state of affairs of the gifted via Florida's standardized testing regimen, I plan to move to broader, yet still deeply significant , points which remained in my head for nine years while escaping the need for responsible action by some of Florida's big names in education. Too many Floridian children in the gifted program are declared a success by the state test without an accompanying need for growth. Data backs me and has been presented.Many children whose IQ is 130 or more begin school with academic skills 1 or 2 years above their Kindergarten placement in at least the subject area of strength..Recalling the old equation Chronological age xIQ divided by 100 equals mental age, the ability to perform above age grade placement continues. Strength areas could easily be accomodated via subject acceleration, meaning allowing that child to access above typical curricular placement, but the testing won't address that. A third grader who accesses fifth grade math must take the third grade Math test. Hmmm. This means that the student can pass the third grade test one year without being asked to grow, yet the school data looks good, pass again the fourth and fifth grade tests in the ensuing two years without having had to learn a thing. Parents are provided cheery results which may have been obtainable years prior. . Is this a mode of closing an achievement gap? Calling stagnation success and equating review to learning gains allow the facade to continue. Out of level testing gives a new view. Surely, I digressed and must return to the broader picture.

Yes, Florida students are asked to sign a pledge that they won't cheat. So are school staff. (Personally, I find this interesting as Rhee advises our Governor.) KIPP schools talk of paying students for test scores and a Palm Beach County High School offers to bump up grades by two grades for FCAT performance. Similar "prizes" have been going on for years..as had currivulum suspension. A school offered its students placebo candy they said would boost their FCAT peformance. Students were rushed to the hospital after ingesting energy drinks in preparation for the FCAT.Calls reminding parents to feed their children and get them to bed are made during testing week. All this occurs in the background while every step is made to ensure standardization of teacher action but the multitudes of variation in offerings of rewards seems to be an infraction of standardization that escapes concern. Please correct me if I am wrong.

These events happen amidst the biggest question of all....WHY are we subjecting students to high stakes testing when I have never found a single study to back their benefits to students, yet many which show them to have no benefits. I am certain that the BUROS Institute, who investigated Florida's inflated grade three Reading scores years ago, suggested it unwise to attach high stakes to a single test. That practice continues in Florida's elementary and middle schools. The band has played on. Why? Here is a simple data presentation which finds no amazing improvement in Reading between 2002 grade 10 students and those of 2010.

From Florida's FCAT database using all grade 10 students who took the FCAT, I see....
Level 1 2 3 4 5
GRADE 10, 2010, Total Students
32 29 18 8 14

GRADE 10, 2002, Total Students
32 33 21 8 7

*No data are reported when fewer than 10 students were tested or when all students are in the same score category. ** Adding the percents in levels 3 – 5 may not result in the percent reported under "Level 3 and above" due to rounding. - Not Applicable

I find grade 10 particularly interesting as that is the end product of massive FCAT testing in reading. Of great significance is the difference between the number of years of exposure to Jeb's bag of tricks between the 2002 grade ten students and those who find themselves in the grade in 2010, who have spent much of their school life experiencing Jeb's strategies and accountability measures. The band played on and continues. Stop the music.

http://myednext.org/profiles/blogs/the-lowdown-on-florida-s-high-stakes-testing-a-parent-s

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