I found an article on OregonLive about the debate of standardize tests. Students are being ask to take more and more standardize tests. These test are supposed to measure for a school's report card and for individual student academic achievement. The concern for parents is whether or not these tests are really worth it. In the article, the author discusses how some parents are responding to the tests and what they're doing to opt out of them. The school districts felt differently.
http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2015/02/states_start_responding_to_bac.html#incart_river
In the article, the author introduces a standardize test called PARCC that aligns itself with the Common Core Standards. Here is a link to their website if you're interested in looking around (http://parcc.pearson.com/). I noticed that the testing company is run through Pearson Education, Inc. Pearson was the same company who administered my Essential Academic Skills Test (ORELA- state requirement) for getting into our masters program. I found it interesting that Pearson was involved in both state tests, administering ORELA and PARCC. (Side note: Pearson is a British Company) Thoughts??
After investigating Pearson, I found the article below that describes how closely connected Pearson is with the our government. Everything is always about money.
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/pearson-education-115026.html
Yes my understanding is that the company originated in England and seems to be aggressively an agenda to become a dominant global force. The next evolution of its reach here in the US is the edTPA Pearson, a new performance assessment that teacher candidates will have to pay for and pass at the end of their program to provide evidence that they are ready to teach in the field. This has been a very contentious issue but it appears as if the battle is won. Starting this year in Oregon, 30% of teacher candidates will have their portfolios scored moving up to 100% in 2016-17 [scores for these 2 years will be non-consequential as all teacher prep programs figure out how to get candidates ready]. However, as of 2017-18, all candidates will have to produce the edTPA and those scores will count. We've been hearing that this will cost candidates around $200. And you thought the testing craze was only happening in K-12!
ReplyDeleteI will look more into that! More ways to assess and more ways for companies to make money!
ReplyDeleteI will look more into that! More ways to assess and more ways for companies to make money!
ReplyDelete