Report: Time spent on standardized testing in schools is underestimated
A new report finds that the amount of time estimated that students spend on standardized testing in New York State is underestimated.
The report (see below) was done by Robin Jacobowitz and Kt Tobin of The Benjamin Center for Public Policy Initiatives at SUNY New Paltz. Jacobowitz is the director of education projects at The Benjamin Center, and Tobin is the center’s associate director. They conclude:
*In the 2014-15 school year, on average, 1,110 minutes were dedicated to the New York State standardized testing process (in reading and math) for students in Grades 3-6 and 1,134 minutes were dedicated to this process for students in Grades 7-8. This represents 2 percent of “required annual instructional hours” for Grades 3-6 and 1.9 percent for Grades 7-8, and exceeds — essentially doubling — the standard set by the state legislature.
*This is an underestimation of the time testing really takes. For one thing, science testing, mandated for students in 4th and 8th grades, are not included. In addition, the 180-day school year is used as a basis for establishing instructional hours in a year, even though previous research demonstrates that students in New York State do not receive the assumed 180 required days of instruction.
*The researchers did not measure all tasks associated with Grades 3-8 standardized testing, such as practice tests or test prep. Thus, the 2 percent is called a floor for the amount of time devoted to Grades 3-8 testing in New York.
*Instruction on testing days is limited well beyond the actual time students spend taking the tests. Whole schools are impacted by testing, even for non-testing grades.
Here’s a post on the report by its authors. While they look at New York State, the issues they raise about time spent on testing affect every state.
By Robin Jacobowitz and Kt Tobin
How much time does testing in schools really take?
A survey of New York State teachers who administered standardized assessments this past spring in Grades 3-8, conducted by the Benjamin Center at SUNY New Paltz, demonstrated that these tests took about 2 percent of the minimum required annual instructional hours. This is double the 1 percent limit placed on these assessments by the New York State legislature in 2014 — and this does not include many of the other tasks associated with New York Grades 3-8 testing, such as field tests, practice tests, makeup tests, test prep and lengthier administrations for English Language Learners or students with special needs.
This fall, Governor Andrew Cuomo charged his newly created Common Core Task Force with examining the quantity and length of exams. The state Education Department announced plans to reduce state-administered 2016 exams by eliminating some questions but not the time allotted to take the tests. And at the national level, the Obama administration called on lawmakers to ensure that tests not exceed 2 percent of classroom time.
But these policy choices about placing limits on testing time in schools are missing a key common-sense point: The proper measurement of time devoteReport: Time spent on standardized testing in schools is underestimated - The Washington Post: