Test scores in Texas plummet every time there's a new test. Even if the standards are the same.
Conclusion: As schools learn what the test covers and how it's constructed they better prepare the students for the test. They have no more time, no greater resources, but they tailor their instruction to the testing instrument.
Which is a repeat of the great Finnish PISA results. Their curriculum and teaching methods were aligned to the test better than many other countries'. They scored higher. People assumed it's because Finland has a better teaching establishment. In fact, they're just more aligned to the test. On other tests that Finland doesn't happen to be aligned with they score much, much lower. The PISA results are an artefact, an accident.
One teacher I know cynically has commented concerning TX's new standardized test that it's to avoid the penalty of NCLB. New test, new baseline against which to measure improvement. Schools that were scoring 96 and 97% pass rates on the old test had no chance of getting to 100%. That's just not going to happen. Now the baseline will drop and as they adapt to the test they'll quickly get back up to the 90s, making the NCLB heads-up-their-butts number watchers swoon with dull-witted joy.
Graduation rates are up. That's easy to finagle. I know a teacher with a 100% pass rate. His scores were no better than other teachers with an 87% pass rate. All that differed was the willingness of the teacher to override the automatically calculated grades or to pitch softball assignments. Their standardized test scores come back and the teacher with the higher report-card fail rate has higher standardized test scores. Yet the guy who simply won't fail students is a better teacher. Obviously the #s can't lie. And the principals have every reason not to undermine the #s that make them look good.
"Drop out rates are down" is just restating "graduation rates are up."
= new reply since forum marked as read