This is the second in what unexpectedly became a series of posts on validity, validation, state tests, and state assessment programs. In these first two posts, I am focusing on the primary purpose of state tests and interpretation of student test scores as a measure of student performance on the state’s content standards; that is,Continue reading “The Butterfly Effect”
Category Archives: Measurement
Even Validity Has Unintended Consequences
While the educational measurement community has devoted an uncomfortable amount of energy to debating the proper role of consequences in validity, I would argue that we have paid far too little attention to the unintended negative consequences of the Validity Standards on the validation of K-12 large-scale state assessments and state assessment programs. We seemContinue reading “Even Validity Has Unintended Consequences”
I Can See The Writing on the Wall
Organizations, institutions, and individuals who have been called to educational measurement and/or educational assessment as their pathway through life have joined others this summer in an exercise in introspection and self-reflection. The goal of this exercise is to emerge with a better understanding of how we, through our life’s work, have contributed to, endorsed, promulgated, perpetuated,Continue reading “I Can See The Writing on the Wall”
Too Much of a Good Thing
If asked to identify the biggest successes of the Education Reform movement over the past two decades I would have to put selling the importance of disaggregating data at or near the top of my list. Acceptance and adoption of the practice of disaggregating data is well beyond what one might expect from mere complianceContinue reading “Too Much of a Good Thing”
Equating 2020 – Opportunity Lost
For a brief moment last spring the disruptions caused by COVID-19 appeared to offer a once-in-a-lifetime teachable moment in the form of an opportunity for real-time discussions with stakeholders about the concepts and assumptions that are at the heart of equating state assessments. Alas, much like people’s understanding of equating, that opportunity proved to beContinue reading “Equating 2020 – Opportunity Lost”
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”
A rejoinder
Charlie DePascale “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!” In the spirit of the Easter season, that was my initial reaction when I read what Steve Sireci had to say in his final newsletter column as president of NCME. I support Steve as a born-again public policy advocate. I agree wholeheartedlyContinue reading “A rejoinder”
A Useless Test Bias Argument
Charlie DePascale “Criticizing test results for reflecting these inequities is like blaming a thermometer for global warming.” That was the viral moment from the recent NCME statement on admissions testing. The line clearly was intended to go viral and it did go viral; well, as viral as any technical defense of standardized testing can goContinue reading “A Useless Test Bias Argument”
Three Little Words
Charlie DePascale Life is full of three-word phrases. Some tend to have profound and lasting consequences that extend far beyond what may have been intended when they were uttered. Phrases such as I Love You, That Looks Safe, and for those among us wavering on new year’s resolutions, Just One Bite might fall into thisContinue reading “Three Little Words”
Rebranding Educational Measurement
Charlie DePascale When I think about educational measurement the first thing that comes to mind is a high-fructose corn syrup commercial from about 10 years ago. On one side there is the man who holds, but cannot articulate, the widespread, but ill-defined, perception (misperception?) that high-fructose corn syrup is inherently bad. On theContinue reading “Rebranding Educational Measurement”
