They're Magically Fictitious
TNReady didn't get off to a great start this year. In fact, it was an epic failure to launch. And when it finally did get off the ground, teachers spilled the beans then spilled even more beans about TNReady problems. All of its enormous snafus, horrible implementation, and last minute changes lead to zero trust for the integrity of the testing process. But months from now, TDOE is hoping all the controversy will have blown over and the focus will be on the test scores.
Grey Bars, Pink Bubbles, Blue Stars, or Yellow Smiley Faces???
So, TDOE wants to know...
How would you like those scores? Would like them in the form of stars, bars, arrows, or smiley faces? Would you like your child to be called "Distiguished" or "Highly Prepared?" How about "Minimal Readiness" or "Below Grade-level?"
Nope, not kidding. Candice is real sorry about all the problems with TNReady, or so she says, in a recent letter to parents. But that's old news. What's really important is your feedback for the new TNReady report that accompany your child's test scores next year.
How would you like those scores? Would like them in the form of stars, bars, arrows, or smiley faces? Would you like your child to be called "Distiguished" or "Highly Prepared?" How about "Minimal Readiness" or "Below Grade-level?"
Nope, not kidding. Candice is real sorry about all the problems with TNReady, or so she says, in a recent letter to parents. But that's old news. What's really important is your feedback for the new TNReady report that accompany your child's test scores next year.
In the past, parent reports were often difficult to interpret and offered little guidance on how you could support your child, but TNReady allows us to provide parents with more specific and thorough information.
To assure we are creating parent reports that will best inform you, we ask for your feedback as we finalize the design of these reports. You can provide your thoughts on specific pieces of the proposed parent reports through this online form.
Here are your choices: Grey Bars, Pink Bubbles, Blue Stars, or Yellow Smiley Faces
But wait, before you pick the pink bubbles, you should know that one parent is reporting that when the survey first appeared yesterday, the very first question contained an error. According to her, "The options listed are a, b, c, d but the corresponding answers are a, d, c, b. Meaning the option B is actually found under choice D and option D is found under choice B."
This parent says she has lost confidence in TDOE. How can TDOE be trusted to accurately test children when their own parent survey has a typo that affects the answer? Even though TDOE fixed that survey mistake lickety-split, TNReady errors can't be so easily fixed. How many typos are in TNReady tests? How many kids will struggle because of them?
This parent says she has lost confidence in TDOE. How can TDOE be trusted to accurately test children when their own parent survey has a typo that affects the answer? Even though TDOE fixed that survey mistake lickety-split, TNReady errors can't be so easily fixed. How many typos are in TNReady tests? How many kids will struggle because of them?
What Parents Really Want
Parents are sick and tired of their children being put through a ridiculous testing process to gather some innane data for an undisclosed purpose. And the survey asking for superficial responses to graphics is beyond insulting. If the TDOE wants to know what parents think, they should read this mom's Facebook comment:
"If we can't see the test, we can't determine if anything they say is honest. And the idea that this test's purpose is for students to "show what they know" is complete and utter garbage! The purpose is so that a bunch of bureaucrats who spent, at most, two years teaching can have a number in order to evaluate people who actually did stay in the classroom.
Newsflash TNDOE: parents do not trust you, teachers do not trust you. If you want me to believe your little "Mythbusters" nonsense, then "show what you know," release the test and all relevant data, and prove yourselves."
If the TDOE can manage to provide an authentic, transparent assessment process that restores the trust of parents and teachers, then we can talk about scoring. Because TDOE has some fence mending to be done in that area as well. Parents and teachers have already been through the magical TCAP scores and the magical formula for post equating those scores.
Parents and teachers want information they can understand instead of stupid graphics and silly labels. How about telling us the cut scores ahead of time? You know, like the statewide grading scale, where we all know 93-100 is an "A" unless it's a charter school then 90 is an "A" but that's another blog.
How about telling us our kid's raw score? We'd like to know how many questions were on the test? How many were scored? How many were for research purposes only? How many had to be thrown out? How many did our child get correct? incorrect? left blank?
Could we go back to including the old fashion percentile scores? Must we label our children as distinguished or whatever? Couldn't we just know our child scored within a certain percentile for his grade in his school? school district? state? We can figure out how we feel about being in the top 25% or bottom 10%. We can figure out what's good and what desperately needs improvement.
Seriously, we don't need your smiley faces.
We just need real information, transparent testing, and an assessment process with integrity that can be trusted by Tennessee's educators and parents.
"If we can't see the test, we can't determine if anything they say is honest. And the idea that this test's purpose is for students to "show what they know" is complete and utter garbage! The purpose is so that a bunch of bureaucrats who spent, at most, two years teaching can have a number in order to evaluate people who actually did stay in the classroom.
Newsflash TNDOE: parents do not trust you, teachers do not trust you. If you want me to believe your little "Mythbusters" nonsense, then "show what you know," release the test and all relevant data, and prove yourselves."
If the TDOE can manage to provide an authentic, transparent assessment process that restores the trust of parents and teachers, then we can talk about scoring. Because TDOE has some fence mending to be done in that area as well. Parents and teachers have already been through the magical TCAP scores and the magical formula for post equating those scores.
Parents and teachers want information they can understand instead of stupid graphics and silly labels. How about telling us the cut scores ahead of time? You know, like the statewide grading scale, where we all know 93-100 is an "A" unless it's a charter school then 90 is an "A" but that's another blog.
How about telling us our kid's raw score? We'd like to know how many questions were on the test? How many were scored? How many were for research purposes only? How many had to be thrown out? How many did our child get correct? incorrect? left blank?
Could we go back to including the old fashion percentile scores? Must we label our children as distinguished or whatever? Couldn't we just know our child scored within a certain percentile for his grade in his school? school district? state? We can figure out how we feel about being in the top 25% or bottom 10%. We can figure out what's good and what desperately needs improvement.
Seriously, we don't need your smiley faces.
We just need real information, transparent testing, and an assessment process with integrity that can be trusted by Tennessee's educators and parents.