In their recent EM:IP article, Susan Brookhart and Sarah Bonner call on large-scale testing (i.e., traditional educational measurement) and classroom assessment to communicate and learn from each other. In that spirit, this week’s blog post asks whether classroom assessment can help us find more meaning in our annoyingly meaningless scales.
Category Archives: Measurement
To Those Burrs In Our Saddle
I truly enjoyed reading the many posts describing the amazing work showcased at NCME in LA; and the positive, uplifting experience that the conference was for everyone. But in this week’s post I want to acknowledge the contribution of those who take it upon themselves to poke, prod, and noodge at every presentation and in response to every post. It takes a village and they are part of ours.
They Told Me There’d Be Consequences
The Olympics are over and it’s a blizzardy Monday morning. In other words, it’s a perfect time to peruse the preliminary program for the upcoming NCME annual meeting. Of course, every action has consequences. In this case, the consequence is a blog post about consequences. I’ll admit that I have no idea who John Ruskin is, but as I read through the program, I couldn’t help but think of these words of his, “What we think or what we know or what we believe is in the end of little consequence. The only thing of consequence is what we do.”
From Homer to Ho: Let’s Talk TACs
Two recent posts by Andrew Ho spurred my thinking about Technical Advisory Committees (TACs); specifically, the role that the committees and their members play in our field. Perhaps even more important than their role as advisors, problem solvers, sounding boards, psychometric therapists, and human guardrails, TAC members are storytellers, passing on through oral tradition the key tenets of our field.
Approaching The Limit of Equating State Tests
Since my last post, several people have asked what I meant by my claim that virtually every decision related to the operation of state testing programs since 1990 has made equating more difficult. In this post, I make my case and discuss whether in the calculus of equating state tests we are approaching our limit.
Ultraprocessed Test Scores – Just How Bad Are They?
The New York Times Well newsletter kicked off 2025 with a series on ultraprocessed foods; addressing not only the dangers they pose, but also increasing awareness of their ubiquitousness, explaining their appeal, and offering tips for living healthier with them. It may be helpful to do the same for test scores.
You’re Doin’ Fine, Oklahoma!?!
Not since Sen. Warren sent her sample off to 23andme, has a set of test results from Oklahoma caused as much of a ruckus as the “release” of this year’s Oklahoma state assessment results. Seriously, Oklahoma? OK.
A Shift in My Perspective on Vertical Scales
I’m not sure whether wisdom comes with age, but I was barely 65 for twelve hours when I had an epiphany that forever changed the way that I will view vertical scales.
The Philadelphia Story (NCME’s Version)
I don’t usually share two posts in the same week. In my last two posts, however, I wrote about the personal journey I was on last week in Philadelphia. But NCME, too, is on a journey to find itself. A journey much more consequential than mine.
A Chronic Problem
I’d like to think that we have progressed well beyond 2012 when a district asked me to help them create a dynamic dashboard to support instruction, using only indicators that were updated annually. I’d like to think that, but …
Embrace the Absurd 