Magical test results in Tennessee

Reports about the unbelievable TCAP and EOC scores are flooding social media this week as final report cards are sent to parents.  Teachers are skeptical that students improved so dramatically.  People are wondering if the scores were inflated to make parents happy, and worry the artificially inflated scores will penalize them in their evaluations in future years using the secret mathematical TVAAS formula that tells if a teacher is good or bad using student test scores.  The TVAAS formula was originally invented to predict livestock growth, and our state is using it to rate teachers. Crazy. You just can't make this stuff up, people.  And that's also a big reason why some parents want to refuse this standardized testing for their children.

Some teachers question how their students earned scores of 97, 98, and 99 on a test with only 55 questions.  The one-point difference doesn't make logical sense.  Since teachers and parents will never get to see the test questions, answers, or how the tests were scored, it will forever remain a great mystery.

Momma Bears received this insightful comment in response to our blog yesterday about testing.  It is from a Tennessee teacher and it raises a lot of questions, including one we hadn't even considered... 

I really liked your comment about Candace McQueen's kids not taking TNReady!

I also noticed that you mention the good reports coming out about TCAP. I agree, the reports are great! My fellow teachers and I were amazed by our student's TCAP scores. They were amazing. They were too amazing. Those scores were so inflated it was unreal. I have no idea how they fool with the numbers, but I had students who read on a 3rd grade level who had grades between 80-90% on the cut score. I teach 6th grade. The math teacher had the same concerns. We had students with IEP's who were scoring in the newly elevated advanced category. Now don't get me wrong, We had bright, hardworking kids. We worked hard all year to improve our literacy and numeracy skills, but there's just no way some of my kids improved to that level.

The teachers I work with believe these fluffed scores serve three purposes. First, they enable the state to claim that the "reforms" they have instituted. Second, since TCAP scores factor into exceptional ed eligibility, I believe that these scores will be used to reduce the number of students who are eligible to receive services. Finally, I believe these scores will eventually be used against teachers. Once the new standards are implemented, I believe the scores will drip significantly, making it easier to fire teachers, close schools, and usher in for-profit charters.

I have limited leeway to question these scores. I have an extremely retaliatory administration, and my district has no backbone. I believe the Mommabears have done an excellent job standing up for Tennessee schools and students and I wanted to make you aware of the concerns lots of teachers have with these scores.

Keep up the good fight!

- a Tennessee teacher who wishes to remain anonymous

Could it be...

• these test scores are artificially high to prevent parental opt-outs next year for the new TN Ready test?
  
• these TCAP scores will be used to keep children out of SPED who really need it?
  
• students are being set up to fail next year when the new TN Ready test is implemented? (a manufactured crisis to justify the privatization of public education)
• that the scores were inflated to make certain politicians look good? and make their agendas (like common core and charter schools) appear that they are magically working?
  
• these inflated scores will show "growth" in the state's ASD district schools which have test score averages lower than they were before when they were originally public schools?

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. and Absolutely YES! 

This letter below that was sent from Commissioner Candice McQueen to Directors of Schools in Tennessee confirms that these test scores are not consistent or comparable from year to year, and warns against jumping to conclusions about proficiency levels before the TDOE has set them:

Directors,

I want to thank you for your work in finalizing student demographic and teacher claiming information to close this year's TCAP cycle. I know many of you have received your quick scores for student grading and are anxious to understand more about your district's overall performance. Though the department made the decision in 2014 to stop associating TCAP performance levels with quick score results, we do want to provide information as accurately, transparently, and quickly as possible. 

To that end, the division of data and research will provide a detailed communication regarding quick score use and interpretation in our May 27 Director Update, followed by a release of preliminary data regarding quick score relationships to raw scores and cut scores to determine proficient (versus non-proficient) on June 1. For now, I caution you to avoid communicating any results regarding proficiency rates based on the 2015 quick scores using performance level relationships that were last calculated and communicated in 2013. 

Quick scores are generated for use in student grading only. As such, there will not necessarily be a consistent relationship between quick scores and performance levels for achievement from year to year. Performance levels are determined first by raw score to scale score conversions and then through cut-scores defined by the standards setting process. Over the next couple of months, we will engage our TOSS working group for accountability in further conversation about how we address quick scores during the transition to TNReady. In the meantime, please look for the memo in the May 27 Director Update and the follow-up information on June 1. As a reminder, we will also include this timeline in today’s Director Update.

Best,
Candice

Until we have both transparency with the test questions and transparency with how the cut scores are determined, these tests serve little purpose other than being used as weapons against our public schools.