Making it rain tests: Are the new Common Core exams invalid? Inaccurate?
In the Spring of 2015, tests developed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium will be administered to well over 10 million students in 17 states to determine their proficiency on the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM). There has been allot of controversy surrounding the development and implementation of the Common Core (See Dewey, Testing Companies, and the Origin of the Common Core), the Opt Out of testing movement (See Who’s the William Wallace of testing: @JessedHagopian or Liz King?) and high-stakes testing (See Does High-Stakes Testing & Accountability= Social Justice & Civil Rights? )
Furthermore, a new analysis of mathematics test questions posted online by Smarter Balanced reveals that, question after question, the tests:- Violate the standards they are supposed to assess;
- Cannot be adequately answered by students with the technology they are required to use;
- Use confusing and hard-to-use interfaces; or
- Are to be graded in such a way that incorrect answers are identified as correct and correct answers as incorrect.
As a society we can agree that no tests that are flawed should be given to anyone. Certainly, with stakes so high for students and their teachers, I argued that Smarter Balanced tests should not be administered until they are ready and tested to be valid. The boycotts of these tests by parents and some school districts are justified. Responsible government bodies should withdraw the tests from use before they do damage.
So millions of dollars of public tax dollars and countless hours of wasted instructional time have just been spent on Making it rain tests: Are the new Common Core exams invalid? Inaccurate? | Cloaking Inequity:
