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”

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”

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”