NAEP TO BE TURNED INTO PERFORMANCE BASED TEST?? \doc\web\98\07\neap.txt > * The current system--which relies largely on tests with paper and > pencil--should be augmented with new alternative assessment methods, > including portfolios and other samples of student performance, > computer-based analyses of student work, and videotaped observations of > students working in the classroom. Date sent: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 20:29:32 +0000 To: jimmyk5@swbell.net From: "Donna Garner" (by way of Jimmy Kilpatrick ) Subject: [ppie-texas] Re: ASCD News 10-9-98 Notice that the ASCD is recommending adding performance-based assessments (subjectively scored) to the NAEP test. If this is done, the NAEP will become useless as an objective measurement of students' progress. Donna Garner dggarner@swbell.net ============================================ > > ASCD EDUCATION BULLETIN October 9, 1998 > > The biweekly online newsletter of the Association for Supervision and > Curriculum Development > > ******************************************************* > REPORT RECOMMENDS OVERHAULING NAEP > > The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)--sometimes > called the "nation's report card"--needs to be refocused and > streamlined. So says a new congressionally-mandated report, *Grading > the Nation's Report Card: Evaluating NAEP and Transforming the > Assessment of Educational Progress*, from the National Research > Council. > > For nearly 30 years, NAEP has provided the only continuing measure of > American student achievement. Currently, educators and policymakers use > scores from NAEP to justify education reform, to check the results of > state tests and other testing programs, and to compare student achievement > among states and other countries. > > To satisfy these demands, the NAEP program has taken on new and > sometimes conflicting objectives, without changing the assessment's > basic features, > according to the report. Among other findings, the report recommends: > > * To meet the need for better information about why students perform as > they do, NAEP should be linked with other educational data so that test > results are just one in a series of measurements which, taken together, > provide a broad view of trends in education. The U.S. Department of > Education should integrate NAEP data with information on classroom > practices, teacher preparation, educational resources, academic > standards, and other factors. > > * The Department should streamline NAEP by reducing the number of separate > surveys that are currently used to measure short- and long-term trends. > > * The current system--which relies largely on tests with paper and > pencil--should be augmented with new alternative assessment methods, > including portfolios and other samples of student performance, > computer-based analyses of student work, and videotaped observations of > students working in the classroom. > > Such methods are needed to assess the kinds of investigative, problem- > solving, communication, and technological skills that will be necessary in > the > students' future. > > Copies of *Grading the Nation's Report Card: Evaluating NAEP and > Transforming the Assessment of Educational Progress* are available from the > National Academy Press for $47.95 plus shipping charges for the first copy > and $.50 for each additional copy. To order, call 202-334-3313 or > 1-800-624-6242. A full report is also available at > . > > ******************************************************* > > FREE SOFTWARE HELPS TEACHERS GET ORGANIZED > > Ever wish you could keep all your classroom details in one easily > accessible place? ThinkWave Educator Express lets you automate your > paperwork and focus your attention on teaching. This free classroom > organizer software lets you store student and parent contact information, > grades, and attendance. It helps you manage your tests, quizzes, and > homework assignments, and simplifies your grading process. A report option > lets you prepare detailed reports on individual students or classes as > a whole; and an e-mail option lets you communicate grades and other > information to parents and students. > > The popular new program received a 5-star review from ZD Net, who > listed several pros and no cons for the program, calling it "extremely > intuitive and well organized" and "sure to please educators from > preschool to college level." CNN Online also wrote a favorable review > of the software, > pointing out the loss of the great "grade altering" tradition that > students will no longer able to practice once grades are e-mailed home. > > The minimum system requirements include a Pentium processor, Windows > 95/98, an Internet connection (for e-mail features), 16 MB of RAM, VGA > color monitor, and 20 MB of free disk space. The Web site also includes a > form for Macintosh users to fill out so they can receive updates when a > Mac version becomes available > > A Pro version that includes lesson planning, a calendar, seating > charts, and other more detailed organizing features is also available > for $60. For more information or to download either version of the > software, visit ThinkWave's Web site at . > > ******************************************************* > > NEW ASCD POLICY BRIEF EXAMINES CLASS SIZE > > Efforts to shrink class size in the early grades are winning increased > support from policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels, > according to a new ASCD *Infobrief*, "Reducing Class Size." But debate > continues over whether this reform measure is the best way to improve > education. > > The policy brief offers an overview of key research, recent policy > actions, and lessons learned from existing class-size reduction > programs. It finds that lowering class size is becoming an important > issue in many states, including California, Wisconsin, Michigan, South > Carolina, and Florida, to name just a few. > > The *Infobrief* takes a close look at key issues educators and > policymakers should consider: (1) Is lowering class size a wise use of > education dollars? > > What are the trade-offs? (2) What implementation challenges should > policymakers anticipate if they attempt to lower class size? and (3)What > approaches to class-size reduction are likely to prove most effective? > > The "Reducing Class Size" *Infobrief* is available from ASCD for $4. 50 > each. To order, call 1-800-933-2723 and request Infobrief stock number > 198222. > > ******************************************************* > > WEB WONDERS: WHOSE SCHOOLS?--compiled by Lindsey Verble org> > > The October issue of ASCD's magazine, *Educational Leadership*, has hit > the presses! The Web sites presented here expand on the theme of this > *EL*--Whose Schools?--by exploring the issues of charters, choice, > vouchers, commercialism, and for-profit private schools. Here, we can > "rethink" our schools, see what other people are doing, and weigh in on > the issues. > > COMMERCIALISM IN SCHOOLS > > The Center for Commercial-Free Public Education > > http://www.commercialfree.org The Center, which was founded in 1993 by four > women who were fighting to remove Channel One from the nation's classrooms, > provides a fantastic Web site for all those who are concerned about > corporate involvement in American schools. The site provides "tracks" for > students, teachers, parents, administrators, and business leaders, > advising them what action they can take to fight commercialism in the > schools. > > Edison Project > > http://www.edisonproject.com > The Edison Project, which has been in business since 1995,is one of the > nation's largest private (for-profit) manager of public schools. They now > manage schools in eight states and 13 cities. The site provides contact > information for all of the Edison Project's schools. > > ADVOCACY AND INNOVATION > > Rethinking Schools > > http://www.rethinkingschools.org > The Rethinking Schools Web site is chock full of information related to > school choice, in addition to educational reform, social justice, and > equity issues. > > Past articles (since Fall 1996/97) from the *Rethinking Schools* newspaper > appear on the site. > > CEO America > > http://www.ceoamerica.org > CEO America is the "national clearinghouse for information on privately > funded voucher programs." The organization matches grants to set up > voucher programs--the Web site offers school choice "testimonials," as well > as research, legislation, and position papers (pro-voucher) on the voucher > debate. > > > US Charter Schools > > http://www.uscharterschools.org > This site, developed as a joint project by the U.S. Department of > Education,California State University's Charter Schools Project, and the > Policy Support and Studies Program at WestEd, was created to promote > the sharing of information and innovations by the people running local charter > schools. The site gives detailed information on state charter school > policies, charter schools profiles, and information related to starting > and running a charter school. > > Lindsey Verble is a project assistant in ASCD's Program > Development work group. She is a member of the *Educational Leadership* > editorial team. > > ******************************************************* > > ABOUT ASCD > > ASCD is a nonprofit, nonpartisan education association located in > Alexandria, Va. We are an international organization, although the large > majority of our members are in North America. We have approximately > 150,000 members, most of whom are K-12 educators. Our members include > principals, teachers, administrators, curriculum specialists, > superintendents, professors, students, etc > > Benefits of ASCD membership include our magazine, *Educational Leadership*, > and two newsletters, *Education Update* and *Curriculum Update*. ASCD also > produces books, video and audio tapes, and other publications on education > topics.(Not to mention an online newsletter.) We also provide professional > development training. Each year we hold a huge Annual Conference. For > information on joining ASCD, visit . Or send > e-mail to . > > ******************************************************* > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ > > Subscribe, unsubscribe, opt for a daily digest, or start a new e-group > at http://www.eGroups.com -- Free Web-based e-mail groups. ______________________________________________________________________ Subscribe, unsubscribe, opt for a daily digest, or start a new e-group at http://www.eGroups.com -- Free Web-based e-mail groups. ============================================= Material forwarded by: Jimmy Kilpatrick http://www.readbygrade3.com http://www.k-12science.org ============================================= For a free daily up-date of education news, research articles and commentaries published in major newspapers, magazines and journals, please forward email address to Jimmy Kilpatrick jimmyk5@swbell.net