Standardized Testing in the USA

8/9/2019 Standardized Testing in the USA

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MME, ACT, SAT, NWEA, AP, and more

Alphabet Soup


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Formative Assessment On going

Short term

Can be written or oral

Allows for immediate demonstration ofunderstanding and immediate response

Assesses small amounts of information but mayshow bridging knowledge


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Summative Assessment Clear starting and stopping point

Longer term

Can be written or oral

Allows for comprehensive demonstration ofunderstanding but less immediate response

Assesses larger amounts of information and longerterm skills; shows synthesized knowledge

Can result in slower response by teacher More accurately replicates standardized tests


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MME Michigan Merit Exam

Reading, Writing, Science, Mathematics

High School Juniors must complete

Scored as Proficient or Less Than Proficient

Proficiency expected, but not required in most schools for graduation

School districts keep tabs on school-wide data with expectation of adaptingcurriculum


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ScienceLevel 1 (Recall and Reproduction) requires the recall of information, such as a fact, definition, term, or a simple procedure, as well as performance of a simple science

process or procedure. Level 1 only requires students to demonstrate a rote response,use a

well-known formula, follow a set procedure (like a recipe), or perform a clearly defined

series of steps. A simple procedure is well defined and typically involves only one step.

Verbs such as identify, recall, recognize, use, calculate, and measure generally represent cognitive work at the recall and reproduction level. Simple word

problems that can be directly translated into and solved by a formula are considered

Level 1. Verbs such as describe and explain could be classified at different DOK

levels, depending on the complexity of what is to be described and explained.


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Level 4 (Extended Thinking) involves high cognitive demands and complexity. Students are required to make several connectionsrelate ideas within the

content area

or among content areasand have to select or devise one approach amongmany

alternatives to solve the problem. Many on-demand assessment instruments

will not include any assessment activities that could be classified as Level 4.

However, standards,

goals, and objectives can be stated in such a way as to expect students toperform

extended thinking. Develop generalizations of the results obtained and the

strategies used and apply them to new problem situations, is an example of a grade 8

objective that

is a Level 4. Many, but not all, performance assessments and open-endedassessment

activities requiring significant thought will be Level 4.


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Testing window in March All Juniors and some Sophomores

ACT as part of comprehensive exam

Work Keys also included: vocationalcomponent

Rules guided by state but administered bylocal teachers

State assesses and reports back Students never see work again, only scores

Until recently, college money attached tosuccess.


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SAT Scholastic Aptitude Test College Admissions

Mathematics, Reading, Science

High School Seniors

Top Flight colleges require this test

Administered by College Board, which also administers Advance Placementtesting

ACT American College Test

College Admissions

Mathematics, Reading, Grammar, Science

Wrtitng Prompt is now optional

High School Juniors

Four year colleges and universities require this test

Administered by American College Testing Service


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NWEA Northwest Education Assessment

Reading, Science, Math

Used internally within a school for placement

Standards Based; can be used to assess students progress against similarly

aged students outside of area

Harder to replicate in classroom

Difficult to disaggregate

Students see it as separate from classroom instruction

Little administrative instruction/support

Administered three times a year; fall, winter, spring


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Educators debate extending high school to five years because of increasing demands onstudents from employers and colleges to participate in extracurricular activities andcommunity service in addition to having high grades. Some educators support extendinghigh school to five years because they think students need more time to achieve all thatis expected of them. Other educators do not support extending high school to five yearsbecause they think students would lose interest in school and attendance would drop inthe fifth year. In your opinion, should high school be extended to five years?

In your essay, take a position on this question. You may write about either one of thetwo points of view given, or you may present a different point of view on this question.Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.


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Average CompositeScore

Number of StudentsTesting

1818.5

19

19.520

20.521

21.5

050000100000

150000200000250000300000350000400000


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College Preparation Ivy League and other major universities

require

Thought more challenging than ACT

Fewer students in total take test

Petoskey High School students taking theSAT: 2003-24, 2004-36, 2009-21


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College in high school Elective, with entrance requirements

Courses available in Composition, Literature,Biology, Calculus, Government, Economics,French, Chinese, and more

Smaller class size

College credit available

Standardized national test given in May


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Community College versus University Vocational versus Academic

Special Education Students

Documents

Standardized Testing in the USA