PROBLEMS AGAIN PLAGUE STAAR TESTING STATEWIDE
Problems with the State of Texas’ standardized testing in schools this spring affected thousands of students, including some in Brenham I.S.D.
The Texas Education Agency reports that over 71,000 students across the state experienced glitches while taking the STAAR tests last month. The STAAR and EOC (End of Course) exams are administered by a New Jersey based company, Educational Testing Service, which has a $280 million contract with the state. During April’s testing, thousands of students were affected by either internet “connectivity slowdowns”, or were booted from the testing system for about 20 minutes. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath says the students who were affected and failed the exams, will have that requirement waived. Morath also said those tests would not be included in each school district’s rating. For the first time, school districts will be assigned a grade from A to F this year.
Does “not scored” mean the student was affected?
It was a state wide issue. We all don’t use the same internet provider. I was an online test administrator and at one point when the kids got kicked out of the test for the umpteenth time the screen actually showed a message that said something to the effect of STAAR being unavailable. State is putting blame where it properly belongs. Just saying.
So how do we know it was the test company’s fault and not an internet company issue. If some did and some didn’t have problems, why was that if they are all using the same test company. I blame the internet, not ETS. Maybe our state is just trying to find someone to blame. Just saying.
It was a state wide issue. We all don’t use the same internet provider. I was an online test administrator and at one point when the kids got kicked out of the test for the umpteenth time the screen actually showed a message that said something to the effect of STAAR being unavailable. State is putting blame where it properly belongs. Just saying.
Since we’re paying for a standardized test anyway, forget the STAAR. Test with PSAT starting from 7th to 9th and then move to SAT as a sophomore to senior. Scores don’t have to be at college entrance level or even close to indicate a quality education is taking place for a child. It will up everyone’s game. Kids will recognize it as actually being meaningful and not a waste of time. Stop playing to the lowest denominator/’weakest link, that’s not how you get better. Just as real athletes don’t like to play with someone they know they can beat. They like to play against the best because that’s the only way they improve and hopefully be the best themselves one day. It’s the same thing in our school system (or it should be). Just an idea.
Your idea is not a bad one, but I think perhaps you are mistaken about the degree of rigor on the STAAR tests. I am a parent of a very high performing HS student, and I am also a middle school math teacher. I am far more intimate with the STAAR test at various grade levels than most would care to be. There are many many problems with STAAT, but I can say with certainty that low rigor is ansolutely not one of them. In fact, the average math STAAR problem for middle and high school would stump most adults. Consequently, the percentage a student needs to answer correctly to perform at one of three passing levels (approaches, meets, or masters) is not as high as you might think. The language is often ambiguous, including figurative language and references which would be puzzling to a native English speaker (remember this is math), and Texas has a disproportionately high number of English language learners. So the real problems with STAAR stem from not being able to authentically measure academic growth and mastery within the content area, largely because the rigor is skewed and students are not only expected to apply concepts to real world contexts, but also to scenarios which are confusing, unclear, and sometimes completely irrelevent. While something more on the order of PSAT/SAT may be in order, those tests are created to measure broad and comparative mastery, amd not single year growth in a single content area. Change is necessary. I am just not convinced that the change you suggested is the right change. Perhaps if we spent less on standardized testing, and more per child on holistic educational and language acquisition supports, we’d see more of the results we desire for Texas scholars.
You’re absolutely right on this. We need some level headed people running the show here.
New Jersey and 280 million, the state of Texas should get a company in TEXAS to administer the test. Unbelievable idiots.