Charlie DePascale

The Physics of Psychometrics

Charlie DePascale A metaphysical tale of the past, present, and future relationship between psychometrics and educational assessment.

Charlie DePascale Earlier this month I traveled to Lawrence, Kansas to attend the NCME special conference on the confluence of classroom assessment and large-scale psychometrics. In a panel discussion titled, “I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore” Kristen Huff, Karen Barton, Paul Nichols, and I shared the perspective that when bringing together classroom assessmentContinue reading “A cautionary tale”

Remember the Alamo

Charlie DePascale This spring I returned to San Antonio to attend the 2017 NCME conference. The trip brought back memories of my many visits to the Harcourt office there as a member of the MCAS management team for the Massachusetts Department of Education. My last MCAS trip was in August 2002. Some things inContinue reading “Remember the Alamo”

If it’s Tuesday, this must be …

Charlie DePascale 12 days, 3 conferences: PowerPoint presentations, posters, uncomfortable chairs, and a few random thoughts. Conference presentations are an art form: whether it’s a keynote address, a 15-minute research presentation, an “electronic board” or a poster a good presentation must tell a story, make a point, and deliver a message. A picture canContinue reading “If it’s Tuesday, this must be …”

Bridging the Gaps

Charlie DePascale Apparently, it’s all about gaps. I have attended two research conferences so far this month; and at both conferences there was lots of discussion about lots of gaps. At the NEERO conference, the discussion focused on achievement and opportunity gaps. At the CEC convention, the gap between educational research and practice as wellContinue reading “Bridging the Gaps”

Do Your Job ™

Thinking again about the role of state assessment programs Charlie DePascale This week, most of the nation is focused on tournament brackets and one type of madness in March. Some of us, however, are also celebrating our own special version March Insanity. Over the next twelve weeks, millions of students across the country will participateContinue reading “Do Your Job ™”

Sealed with a K.I.S.S.

Charlie DePascale “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.” – Einstein In this post, I offer a Valentine’s Day gift in the form of three design principles to those states and their advisers still struggling with the design of school accountability systems to meet the requirements of ESSA. Three principles forContinue reading “Sealed with a K.I.S.S.”

New Year’s Resolutions

Charlie DePascale “If the body be feeble, the mind will not be strong. The sovereign invigorator of the body is exercise, and of all the exercises walking is best.” – Thomas Jefferson The third week of 2017 has come to an end, and my New Year’s Resolution to improve my fitness level is off toContinue reading “New Year’s Resolutions”

You Can’t Always Get What You Want – A Blog Year in Review

Charlie DePascale As I look back at the thirteen essays that I posted in 2016, it is clear that the dominant theme of the blog this year was that we need to acknowledge and accept our limitations. Specifically, across the essays there were three messages: As psychometricians, we need to embrace rather than run fromContinue reading “You Can’t Always Get What You Want – A Blog Year in Review”

Growing Pains

Charlie DePascale “To ensure greater flexibility in tracking individual students’ annual progress, growth models provide states with more options for a nuanced accountability system, while adhering to the core principles of No Child Left Behind.” — Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings It all seemed so simple in 2005 when states wanted to include growth inContinue reading “Growing Pains”