Quantifying Learning Outcomes: A Closer Look at Measured Learning
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) has emphasized multiple measures as a standard for assessing students' overall success. However, the role of standardized testing in this context is being questioned and reconsidered.
In the realm of education, a test score is a summary of an examinee's responses to the items of a test, related to the construct or constructs being measured. Standardized tests, such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), have been used for efficient data analysis, enabling schools to benchmark and evaluate student performance.
The math report card, as shown by NAEP scores, has been tracking trends since 1990. In 2019, the 4th-grade math score decreased by 5 points, and the 8th-grade math score showed a similar trend. The 4th-grade reading score also decreased by 3 points, and the 8th-grade reading score followed a similar pattern in the same year.
These declines have sparked debate about whether standardized testing continues to serve its original purpose or if there are more timely and adaptive ways to measure student performance. Michael Horn, in his recent book "From Reopen to Reinvent", challenges the purpose of test scores and offers alternative ways to measure student outcomes.
The Learning Policy Institute, led by Dr. Linda Darling Hammond, is exploring different ways to measure achievement, specifically performance-based systems of assessment. As we begin to challenge 'norms' and traditional models of education, the role of testing in this new landscape is a question that arises.
It's important to note that NAEP may not provide a comprehensive snapshot of the American education system. Instead, it offers a snapshot of a few students who may or may not be in the public system. The assessment involves multiple institutions, primarily the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) as the lead agency, along with state education departments and testing contractors.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, these organizations have adapted their administration procedures. They have implemented health and safety protocols, expanded remote or modified testing methods, and adjusted timelines to accommodate disruptions caused by the pandemic. These changes aimed to maintain continuity of NAEP assessments while ensuring participant safety and data quality.
The number of students who took the 4th-grade math assessment in a recent year is outlined in a chart. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, efforts to improve outcomes have resulted in more testing and greater accountability. However, the concern for our overall achievement as a nation has been a topic of debate since the 1980s due to being behind less developed countries in education outcomes.
In conclusion, the debate about the effectiveness of standardized testing in measuring student performance continues. As we strive to build an educational opportunity for all children in America that the country has never seen, it's crucial to question and reconsider the current state of education in America and determine if there are more effective ways of measuring student performance.
Read also:
- Setting Up and Expanding Operations at a Soil Blending Facility
- Surveying the Scene: Legality, Drones, and American Anti-Terror Strategy
- Regional University's healthcare system strengthened through collaborative partnership with Chancellor Dr Fiona Hill
- Reminisced University Trustee David M. Flaum as a 'fervent advocate' for the University and community
