Friday, April 27, 2012

Cheating feared after photos of school tests leaked - latimes.com

Cheating feared after photos of school tests leaked - latimes.com:


Cheating feared after photos of school tests leaked

Hundreds of photos of standardized tests have begun to appear on student social-networking sites in California, raising concerns about cheating and test security that could create thorny problems for schools and school districts.
In the worst-case scenario, the photos could lead to invalidation of test scores for entire schools or prevent the state from using certain tests. For the moment, state officials have warned school districts to heighten test security and investigate breaches. Students are not supposed to have access to cellphones or any other device that can take pictures when taking the tests.
“Test security was compromised when students posted images of actual test questions, answer documents, and


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National Resolution on High-Stakes Testing

Cal State students announce hunger strike at six campuses

Students at six Cal State University campuses have vowed to fast until university leaders agree to freeze tuition, roll back administrative and executive salaries and meet other demands.
Members of Students for Quality Education said Friday that the hunger strike will begin Wednesday and involve 13 students at the Dominguez Hills, Fullerton, Long Beach, Northridge, Sacramento and San Bernardino campuses.
In addition to a five-year tuition freeze and administrative pay cuts, students are calling for more free speech rights on campus and the elimination of housing and car allowances for the system’s 23 campus presidents.
Speaking during a telephone news conference, several of the students said they decided on the fast after Chancellor Charles Reed and Board of Trustees Chairman A. Robert Linscheid failed to meet with them or adequately respond to their concerns.
“We’ve tried pretty much everything, and they just ignore us,” said Donnie Bessom, 27, a student at Cal State Long Beach. “We’ve talked to state legislators, written petitions, mobilized people on campus. The next step for us is in the tradition of nonviolent civil disobedience. They keep raising salaries and have those other luxuries,