SCORE AT MCAULIFFE HI BECAUSE TEACHER HELPED MAKE TEST??
\doc\web\98\06\testcht.txt




From: "Steve Pohlman" <beckypohl@email.msn.com>
To: <arthurhu@halcyon.com>,
        "George K. Cunningham" <gkcunn01@ulkyvm.louisville.edu>
Subject: Re: 1998 4th grade test results
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 21:56:27 -0700
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.71.1712.3
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.71.1712.3
Message-ID: <02d043221050b98UPIMSSMTPUSR04@email.msn.com>
Status:   


Arthur,


    I was amused when the results of the fourth-grade test were released.  I
kept scratching my head last year at the success of Christa McAuliffe in
Lake Washington SD (Sammamish Plateau).  Last year, they led all elementary
schools in the district, scoring comparable to Mercer Island.  This would
normally not be a surprise, as the demographics of two areas are nearly
identical.  However, I pulled my kids out of that school because of the poor
academics, after I received my fourth graders standardized test scores.


    This year, the scores have gone down:  writing  90 - 61; math  54 - 48;
reading and listening stayed the same.  This made no sense to me, until I
remembered that one of the McAuliffe teachers was on the committee that
developed the tests.  She had access to all of the questions.  Now I'm not
saying that she prepared the school in advance, and I'm not saying that she
didn't.  I just find it curious.


    Overall, of the schools in the Eastlake HS feeder system, the average
writing score dropped from 74 - 44.  Did the test get that much harder, or
did the students get that much dumber?


    Steve