Charlie DePascale

You never forget your first

Time passes. Interests change. Something new catches your eye. Yes, life moves on, but you never forget your first. You never forget that lecture, book, or journal article that sparked the flame that ignited your career – it’s always a part of you. For many of my colleagues in measurement and assessment it likely wasContinue reading “You never forget your first”

For Dad

Thinking of my Dad on what would have been his 92nd birthday. The eulogy I delivered at his funeral in June 2009.

He Makes a Valid Point

Charlie DePascale I first met Greg Cizek in May 2007 at the Contemporary Issues in High Stakes Testing Conference – a gathering in Lincoln, Nebraska to honor the career of Barbara Plake. From the audience, Greg engaged another participant (who will not be named) in a vigorous, thoughtful, and thought-provoking debate on theContinue reading “He Makes a Valid Point”

The Old “New Normal”

Charlie DePascale As I look out the window and see my wife working in her vegetable garden, I cannot help but reflect on COVID-19, social distancing, hand washing, mask wearing, and the “new normal” that we are moving toward by fits and starts. No, she is not wearing a mask in our backyard, but …Continue reading “The Old “New Normal””

Admissions & Assessment

Everything We Know About College Admissions and Assessment From A to A Charlie DePascale Several of my recent posts since have been related either directly, indirectly, peripherally, or exasperatingly to college admissions testing. That got me thinking about what we actually know about assessment and its role in the college admissions process. Having experienced theContinue reading “Admissions & Assessment”

I Can ‘C’ Clearly Now

Charlie DePascale The pandemic, concerns related to social justice and fairness, and a host of pre-2020 pre-existing conditions have pushed private and public institutions of higher education to either temporarily suspend or more permanently drop the use of tests such as the ACT and SAT as part of the college admissions process. At the K-12Continue reading “I Can ‘C’ Clearly Now”

Why I Belong to the WBCA

A Father’s Day Reflection on Basketball and My Family Charlie DePascale Since 2006, I have been a member of the WBCA – the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. That may seem odd given that I have never coached a women’s basketball team or any basketball team for that matter. The WBCA does now have aContinue reading “Why I Belong to the WBCA”

Hamilton & The Future of Assessment

Your Obedient Servant, C. DePascale roughly to the beat of Alexander Hamilton – (with sincere apologies to Lin-Manuel Miranda and the entire rap community) How could three simple, questions, multiple-choice And some False-True, dropped in the middle of the Hamilton app On my iPhone, by all accounts just trivia Invalid, reveal to me the futureContinue reading “Hamilton & The Future of Assessment”

Something is Not Quite Write

Nagging Issues That Can Affect the Utility of Assessments Charlie DePascale Starting with the direct assessment of writing, the inclusion of items requiring students to produce written responses may be the most significant development in large-scale assessment in the past three decades. We now stand on the cusp of a new wave of advancesContinue reading “Something is Not Quite Write”

State Assessment and High School

A Square Peg for a Round Hole Charlie DePascale We have reached a stalemate. It has been nearly five years since ESSA and the assessment flexibility it offered to states, particularly at the high school level, became law. Next week, we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the release and almost immediate and universal adoption ofContinue reading “State Assessment and High School”