\eztest.txt There is no such thing as an "easy" norm-referenced test, which the ITBS is, they are always calibrated so that fewer than 1% score at the 99th percentile. Most kids aren't that smart, so predictably, the average problem may appear to be below grade level. The samples that I have for the Stanford 9 asks 2nd grader to do counting (kindergarten) for example, so this is much less tough than the California standards based test. The Terra Nova is more aligned with the crazy "standards" based constructivist trends, which tend to take more time to take and cost more to score, and be less accurate with "constructed" responses, but rank ordering is normally almost precisely the same as with tradtional tests. So called "criterion-referenced" tests are typically calibrated so that 50-80% of kids fall "below expected" levels of performance, many won't even tell you the rank level score, which would tell you that most kids are average rather than most kids are flunking. Date sent: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 19:06:39 -0500 To: "ClearingHouse" From: "eca@fastlane.net" Subject: [education-consumers] Fwd: Basic Skills Tests Send reply to: "eca@fastlane.net" > ===================================================================== > > > > >X-From_: owner-core-net@Trinity.Edu Thu Sep 2 22:13:53 1999 > >Date: Thu, 02 Sep 1999 22:56:55 -0400 > >Reply-To: egriffiths@griffiths.com > >Sender: owner-core-net@Trinity.Edu > >Precedence: bulk > >From: Ellen Griffiths > >To: Multiple recipients of list > >Subject: Basic Skills Tests > >MIME-Version: 1.0 > >X-To: "core-net@Trinity.Edu" , > > Multiple recipients of list > > > >Hi everyone, > > > >I've been discussing education with our principal recently regarding > >curriculum strategies and assessment tests, etc. > > > >My goal was to explore continuing to administer a basic skills test so > >we can really know what the schools are teaching our kids since we can't > >rely on our state's assessments. > > > >He informed me that the ITBS, in his experience, was extremely easy and > >wasn't a good measure of student achievement which is why the school is > >using the Terra Nova which is more aligned to our state assessments. > > > >Does anyone in the group have an opinion on this? I didn't have a > >comeback to his comment; I really assumed that the ITBS was a true > >indicator of student achievement. If he is correct, is there another > >achievement test that is good? What do Core Knowledge schools use? > > > >Any help would be appreciated. > > > >Ellen Griffiths > > > > > > ===================================================================== > > EDUCATION CONSUMERS CLEARINGHOUSE > networking and information for parents and taxpayers on the internet > > Website & Archives: http://education-consumers.com > > You are currently subscribed to education-consumers as: arthurhu@halcyon.com > TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send a blank email to leave-education-consumers-989462S@lists.dundee.net > > ===================================================================== > > For less mail, use the following link and choose > 1) a daily digest, > 2) a daily list of subjects, or > 3) no mail (read postings on Web) > > http://lists.dundee.net/scripts/lyris.pl?enter=education-consumers > > For more help & info: http://www.lyris.com/help or > "ClearingHouse" ,"eca@fastlane.net" Date sent: Mon, 06 Sep 1999 17:18:55 -0700 To: "ClearingHouse" From: Wayne Bishop Subject: [education-consumers] Fwd: Basic Skills Tests Send reply to: Wayne Bishop ===================================================================== My preference is ERB (that few have heard of) Educational Records Bureau out of Princeton, and incestually related to the people who do the SAT for college entry. Good performance on it correlates very well with the other, no surprise. It is popular within better private schools and has three sets of national norms, all-student, suburban, and independent. The numbers are eye openers, something like 75, 50, 25 for the same student. Second best is ITBS. Don't let your principal do the "basic-skills-are-trivial" jig; if they were that easy to achieve, there would not be near the number of people bad-mouthing them, and the ITBS, they'd just grumble and do it. Basic skills can be easily tested and are a prerequisite for more sophisticated skills that are not so easily tested and tend to be as much native intelligence and culture tests as tests of what has been recently learned in school. To keep Terra Nova in perspective, translate it as New Dirt. Wayne. From: "George K. Cunningham" To: "ClearingHouse" Subject: [education-consumers] Re: Fwd: Basic Skills Tests Date sent: Tue, 7 Sep 1999 15:19:36 -0400 Send reply to: "George K. Cunningham" ===================================================================== There are few differences among the major standardized achievement tests. I have looked at both the CTBS part of the TerraNova and the ITBS extensively. If I showed you pages from each you could not tell them apart. As for difficulty, that is a function of how the test was normed. That is something the testing companies do well. I doubt that you would find much difference. There is some temptation for a company to create a test that yields higher scores. I could see superintendents or principals liking such a test because it would make them look good. Given the way tests are normed and the bidding and adoption processes, that is unlikely to occur. The big problem is that we are down to only three major test publishers: CTB-McGraw-Hill, Harcourt Brace, and Riverside. They sometimes collaborate on state testing proposals, so there is little competition. George K. Cunningham University of Louisville