(2008-08-01) Nyc School Test Scores Debate

Test scores in New York City Public Schools are improving, but there are real questions about Standardized Test accuracy. (Educating Kids In Nyc)

Sol Stern thinks it's a total sham. Edu Wonkette thinks it's just a matter of focusing on an over-sensitive statistic. Edu Wonk (Andrew Rotherham) thinks Stern doesn't have any better info than anyone else, and more Transparency is needed.

Sol Stern gives more detail. Chris Cerf (Deputy Chancellor) defends the scores. Sol Stern responds in the comments. While the administration has eliminated Social Promotion in some elementary school grades (a policy I supported) it seems to have instituted a more pernicious form of social promotion in the 12th grade. It does this by giving more and more students an accommodation known as "seat time," in which they are given credit for courses they flunked just by showing up for a few extra Saturday sessions. Recently, the City University of New York (CUNY) became so concerned with the lack of academic preparation of the city's graduates who actually have Regents diplomas that it unilaterally raised the passing standard on the Regents tests that are necessary for admission to the four year colleges. Chris Cerf comments back. And.... (keep reading that post)