Charlie DePascale

It’s Time We Talk About Seat Time

Take a seat. We need to talk. The term seat time literally refers to the minimum amount of instructional time, or teacher-student contact time, schools are required to provide. As with most compliance regulations, the minimum often is also the maximum. There is variation by state, but between 5-6 hours per day for approximately 180 days,Continue reading “It’s Time We Talk About Seat Time”

A Case for Classifications

The question stuck in my craw this week is how we (i.e., the large-scale testing community) came to be so dependent on scaled scores, or scale scores if you prefer, as the primary method of reporting state test results. Test that are supposed to be providing criterion-referenced information. I could hold Andrew Ho, and DanContinue reading “A Case for Classifications”

What Might Have Been

Spring 2023! For eight years, we have awaited patiently, more or less, its arrival. This was the year that we would finally learn whether the kids whom we labelled as “on track to college-and-career readiness” year after year would actually be classified as college-and-career ready when it came time to take that final test. ThoseContinue reading “What Might Have Been”

Do I See What You See?

Perhaps it’s due to a disconnect between what’s assessed on the state test and what goes on in the school. Perhaps it’s just perspective. One group looking down at the state test results and the other group looking up. Whatever the reason, more than two decades into the NCLB era of assessment and accountability, itContinue reading “Do I See What You See?”

Hammer Time!

We need to recognize once and for all that standardized tests work best when they serve as a flashlight on what works and what needs our attention – not as hammers to drive the outcomes we want in education from the top down, often pointing fingers to those with greater needs and less resources. – Secretary ofContinue reading “Hammer Time!”

Revise or Reimagine the Joint Standards

Nothing lasts forever. All good things must come to an end. To everything there is a season. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. Whenever it’s time to revise or repair something, you have to ask yourself whether a revision is the best option or is it time for something more radical. Do I fix the transmissionContinue reading “Revise or Reimagine the Joint Standards”

Education is a Matter of the Heart

On January 31st, we celebrate the feast day of St. John Bosco, whose words, Remember, Education is a Matter of the Heart, are a credo of educators around the world. Don Bosco, as he was known, was a nineteenth century Italian priest who dedicated his life to the education of young people, particularly those living in poverty.Continue reading “Education is a Matter of the Heart”

Into The Great Known

In my last post, Right Before Our Very Eyes, I called on assessment specialists to focus their efforts on understanding and explaining observed scores. This post, which could have had the same title, is a reminder that, in general, educational assessment involves dealing with known quantities. The purpose of 99.9% of educational assessment is not toContinue reading “Into The Great Known”

Right Before Our Very Eyes

It’s time for educational measurement, or at least assessment specialists, to say goodbye to latent traits, hidden constructs, and true scores. They are useful concepts, in theory. In practice, well, they really haven’t helped us provide useful information to stakeholders, and that is the name of the game. Admit it, you were a bit skepticalContinue reading “Right Before Our Very Eyes”

Ars Gratia Artis

I took five years of Latin at Boston Latin School. I was a music major at Harvard with a focus on the history of Renaissance music. I chose to pursue a career in state testing. I offer these experiences as evidence that I am uniquely qualified to address questions such as “What is the valueContinue reading “Ars Gratia Artis”