'Garbage In, Garbage Out': Version 2
Editor's note: Due to computer problems, the first version of Deborah Meier's response to Eric Hanushek included several errors. This new version corrects the previous wording problems.
Dear Rick (vs. Eric, now that we know each other better!),
I'm going to try to go through your thoughtful response one step at a time, and then propose one of many alternatives.
First. Many of us have objected to standardized tests for students for decades (e.g. FairTest is hardly a young organization!). IQ tests and SATs have been the focus for half a century. My own writings on the subject began in the late 1960s. I luckily came across The Tyranny of Testing by physicist, Banesh Hoffman, at a time when I was struggling with test results on a personal level. Of course, when more and more stakes became involved--for kids as well as adults--alarm increased. Check my website bibliography for a look at the history of testing critiques.
Second. Yes, VAM (value-added measurement) is new, and, as you know, has been debunked for its
Dear Rick (vs. Eric, now that we know each other better!),
I'm going to try to go through your thoughtful response one step at a time, and then propose one of many alternatives.
First. Many of us have objected to standardized tests for students for decades (e.g. FairTest is hardly a young organization!). IQ tests and SATs have been the focus for half a century. My own writings on the subject began in the late 1960s. I luckily came across The Tyranny of Testing by physicist, Banesh Hoffman, at a time when I was struggling with test results on a personal level. Of course, when more and more stakes became involved--for kids as well as adults--alarm increased. Check my website bibliography for a look at the history of testing critiques.
Second. Yes, VAM (value-added measurement) is new, and, as you know, has been debunked for its
'Garbage In, Garbage Out'
Dear Rick (vs. Eric, now that we know each other better!),
I'm going to try to go through your thoughtful response one step at a time, and then propose one of many alternatives.
First. Many, many of us have objected to standardized tests for students (FairTest is an OLD organization). IQ tests were the focus of critiques for a hundred years, and SATs for half a century. The list of books on the subject is long. My own writings on the subject began in the late 1960s and were joined by many others. A famous physicist (Banesh Hoffman) wrote a book: The Tyranny of Testing. I could go on and on. It was less critical when few stakes were involved, but as the stakes increased, our alarm increased. Check out Linda Darling-Hammond's work, check out the work being done by the Coalition of Essential Schools, and on and on. Check my website. Also the bibliography at the back of my book, In Schools We Trust.
Second. Actually VAM (value-added measurement) is new to the scene, but as you know has been debunked for its unreliability and probably lack of validity by many others, besides cranks like me. First of all, as they say,
I'm going to try to go through your thoughtful response one step at a time, and then propose one of many alternatives.
First. Many, many of us have objected to standardized tests for students (FairTest is an OLD organization). IQ tests were the focus of critiques for a hundred years, and SATs for half a century. The list of books on the subject is long. My own writings on the subject began in the late 1960s and were joined by many others. A famous physicist (Banesh Hoffman) wrote a book: The Tyranny of Testing. I could go on and on. It was less critical when few stakes were involved, but as the stakes increased, our alarm increased. Check out Linda Darling-Hammond's work, check out the work being done by the Coalition of Essential Schools, and on and on. Check my website. Also the bibliography at the back of my book, In Schools We Trust.
Second. Actually VAM (value-added measurement) is new to the scene, but as you know has been debunked for its unreliability and probably lack of validity by many others, besides cranks like me. First of all, as they say,