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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. August 8, 2018:
The scores of State English and Math Assessment tests from the State Education usually released to the School Districts and public by the first week of August will not have the results until “mid or late September.”
The State Education Department told WPCNR , District administrators statewide were provided “raw scores in June so as not to affect curriculum planning for the 2018-19 school year. The raw scores were not released to the public at that time.
After WPCNR inquired about the tardiness of the results, the New York State Education Department Communications Department which issued this statement on why the results were delayed:
“At its June 2017 meeting, the Board of Regents voted to reduce the number of sessions of the grades 3-8 State assessments in ELA and mathematics from three days each to two.
This change took effect beginning with the assessments administered in spring 2018 and applied to grades 3-8.
The Department shortened the tests in a manner that still provides for the valid and reliable measurement of student achievement of the standards.
As a result of the decision, New York State educators will review the performance standards this summer. Given the need for this standards review, the statewide scores will be released in mid-to-late September.
We anticipate the delay to only affect this year’s release.
School districts will receive their score information just prior to the public statewide release, as is standard practice each year.
We had hoped to be able to provide the results to individual districts before the start of the school year; however, it was determined in January that the schedule would have to be delayed slightly, to mid-to-late September this year because of the change in testing format.
Please also note: In early June, instructional reports, based upon the raw score results, for the 2018 Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics Testing Program were made available for schools and districts. The reports are used by schools and districts for summer curriculum-writing and professional development activities. This early release provides educators additional time to use the results to plan for the upcoming school year.”
“School districts will receive their score information just prior to the public statewide release, as is standard practice each year.
We had hoped to be able to provide the results to individual districts before the start of the school year; however, it was determined in January that the schedule would have to be delayed slightly, to mid-to-late September this year because of the change in testing format.
Please also note: In early June, instructional reports, based upon the raw score results, for the 2018 Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics Testing Program were made available for schools and districts
The reports are used by schools and districts for summer curriculum-writing and professional development activities. This early release provides educators additional time to use the results to plan for the upcoming school year.”
This year the State Education Depart put out an extensive news release saying how the new 2018 assessments have been adjusted ti address those concerns.
The State Education Department told parents and “stakeholders” prior to administering the state tests in the spring that the 2018 would be improved based on the widespread criticisms of the 2016- 2017 assessments by parents, teachers, administrators and state representatives. A new test creating firm was hired. Teachers were included in formulating the 2018 tests. In a WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW section on the NYSED website, parents were told the following changes to the tests
1. Fewer Test Sessions
2.Untimed tests
3.Test questions reviewed and written by New York State Teachers
4.Providing Results for Teachers and Improved Resources for Parents
5. Computer-Based Testing.
The delay in the results at least to the public is unfortunate since the first administration of the new Assessments are a test of state officials, teachers, as well as the students.
Whether the skills tested and the prowess of students’ abilities to answer and handle the new tests with more acceptable success that shows students are getting the material, just were tested wrong is at stake here.
This result will be test of the state education experts ability to devise a test that is both comprehensive to students taking them and reflective of education officials’ judgment of an effective, fair tests.