Testing Wars in the Public Schools

Testing Wars in the Public Schools PDF Author: William J. Reese
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674075692
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 392

Get Book Here

Book Description
Written tests to evaluate students were a radical and controversial innovation when American educators began adopting them in the 1800s. Testing quickly became a key factor in the political battles during this period that gave birth to America's modern public school system. William J. Reese offers a richly detailed history of an educational revolution that has so far been only partially told. Single-classroom schools were the norm throughout the United States at the turn of the nineteenth century. Pupils demonstrated their knowledge by rote recitation of lessons and were often assessed according to criteria of behavior and discipline having little to do with academics. Convinced of the inadequacy of this system, the reformer Horace Mann and allies on the Boston School Committee crafted America's first major written exam and administered it as a surprise in local schools in 1845. The embarrassingly poor results became front-page news and led to the first serious consideration of tests as a useful pedagogic tool and objective measure of student achievement. A generation after Mann's experiment, testing had become widespread. Despite critics' ongoing claims that exams narrowed the curriculum, ruined children's health, and turned teachers into automatons, once tests took root in American schools their legitimacy was never seriously challenged. Testing Wars in the Public Schools puts contemporary battles over scholastic standards and benchmarks into perspective by showcasing the historic successes and limitations of the pencil-and-paper exam.

Testing Wars in the Public Schools

Testing Wars in the Public Schools PDF Author: William J. Reese
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674075692
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 392

Get Book Here

Book Description
Written tests to evaluate students were a radical and controversial innovation when American educators began adopting them in the 1800s. Testing quickly became a key factor in the political battles during this period that gave birth to America's modern public school system. William J. Reese offers a richly detailed history of an educational revolution that has so far been only partially told. Single-classroom schools were the norm throughout the United States at the turn of the nineteenth century. Pupils demonstrated their knowledge by rote recitation of lessons and were often assessed according to criteria of behavior and discipline having little to do with academics. Convinced of the inadequacy of this system, the reformer Horace Mann and allies on the Boston School Committee crafted America's first major written exam and administered it as a surprise in local schools in 1845. The embarrassingly poor results became front-page news and led to the first serious consideration of tests as a useful pedagogic tool and objective measure of student achievement. A generation after Mann's experiment, testing had become widespread. Despite critics' ongoing claims that exams narrowed the curriculum, ruined children's health, and turned teachers into automatons, once tests took root in American schools their legitimacy was never seriously challenged. Testing Wars in the Public Schools puts contemporary battles over scholastic standards and benchmarks into perspective by showcasing the historic successes and limitations of the pencil-and-paper exam.

The Death and Life of the Great American School System

The Death and Life of the Great American School System PDF Author: Diane Ravitch
Publisher: Basic Books (AZ)
ISBN: 0465014917
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 298

Get Book Here

Book Description
Discusses how school choice, misapplied standards of accountability, the No Child Left Behind mandate, and the use of a corporate model have all led to a decline in public education and presents arguments for a return to strong neighborhood schools and quality teaching.

Testing, Teaching, and Learning

Testing, Teaching, and Learning PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309172861
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 136

Get Book Here

Book Description
State education departments and school districts face an important challenge in implementing a new law that requires disadvantaged students to be held to the same standards as other students. The new requirements come from provisions of the 1994 reauthorization of Title I, the largest federal effort in precollegiate education, which provides aid to "level the field" for disadvantaged students. Testing, Teaching, and Learning is written to help states and school districts comply with the new law, offering guidance for designing and implementing assessment and accountability systems. This book examines standards-based education reform and reviews the research on student assessment, focusing on the needs of disadvantaged students covered by Title I. With examples of states and districts that have track records in new systems, the committee develops a practical "decision framework" for education officials. The book explores how best to design assessment and accountability systems that support high levels of student learning and to work toward continuous improvement. Testing, Teaching, and Learning will be an important tool for all involved in educating disadvantaged studentsâ€"state and local administrators and classroom teachers.

Testing in American Schools

Testing in American Schools PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Educational tests and measurements
Languages : en
Pages : 56

Get Book Here

Book Description


Testing in American Schools

Testing in American Schools PDF Author:
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
ISBN: 9780941375757
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 62

Get Book Here

Book Description
Concludes that educational tests can be misleading or worse when used for purposes other than which they were originally designed. Charts and tables.

Beyond Test Scores

Beyond Test Scores PDF Author: Jack Schneider
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674976398
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 337

Get Book Here

Book Description
Test scores are the go-to metric of policy makers and anxious parents looking to place their children in the best schools. Yet standardized tests are a poor way to measure school performance. Using the diverse urban school district of Somerville MA as a case study, Jack Schneider’s team developed a new framework to assess educational effectiveness.

Contradictions of School Reform

Contradictions of School Reform PDF Author: Linda McNeil
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135963290
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 337

Get Book Here

Book Description
First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Educational Tests for Use in Elementary Schools

Educational Tests for Use in Elementary Schools PDF Author: Charles Watters Odell
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Ability
Languages : en
Pages : 384

Get Book Here

Book Description


Testing in the Schools

Testing in the Schools PDF Author: Walter E. Hathaway
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 142

Get Book Here

Book Description
Abstract: The re-emergence of testing in the American school system and ways in which the education and measurement fields are attempting to enhance the potential value and importance of tests are examined in this sourcebook. A national profile of the use of testing in schools describes the wide variety of tests used, the purposes for which principals and teachers use test results, and their opinions on how successful test data are in meeting their goals. Guidelines are provided to help teachers and parents better prepare students for standardized testing. The issue of equity in the testing of minority children and ways in which testing can be used to help all children learn are explored. Additional topics include 1) the strengths, limitations, and inner workings of teacher-made tests, 2) understanding, evaluating, and using latent trait research analysis and item response theory, and 3) current and future applications of microcomputer technology in school testing. Five case studies in specific school systems illustrate how some of the theoretical issues in testing have been applied in state and local practices. Case studies describe 1) improvement of test results dissemination and use through cooperative planning, integrated database development, and public media, 2) ways in which a testing program can support a district-wide instructional improvement process and formation of a building test coordinators' network, and 3) testing as an effective part of a statewide accountability and instructional improvement program. (aje).

Exam Schools

Exam Schools PDF Author: Chester E. Finn, Jr.
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 1400844576
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 264

Get Book Here

Book Description
An in-depth look at academically selective public high schools in America What is the best education for exceptionally able and high-achieving youngsters? Can the United States strengthen its future intellectual leadership, economic vitality, and scientific prowess without sacrificing equal opportunity? There are no easy answers but, as Chester Finn and Jessica Hockett show, for more than 100,000 students each year, the solution is to enroll in an academically selective public high school. Exam Schools is the first-ever close-up look at this small, sometimes controversial, yet crucial segment of American public education. This groundbreaking book discusses how these schools work--and their critical role in nurturing the country's brightest students. The 165 schools identified by Finn and Hockett are located in thirty states, plus the District of Columbia. While some are world renowned, such as Boston Latin and Bronx Science, others are known only in their own communities. The authors survey the schools on issues ranging from admissions and student diversity to teacher selection. They probe sources of political support, curriculum, instructional styles, educational effectiveness, and institutional autonomy. Some of their findings are surprising: Los Angeles, for example, has no "exam schools" while New York City has dozens. Asian-American students are overrepresented—but so are African-American pupils. Culminating with in-depth profiles of eleven exam schools and thoughtful reflection on policy implications, Finn and Hockett ultimately consider whether the country would be better off with more such schools. At a time of keen attention to the faltering education system, Exam Schools sheds positive light on a group of schools that could well provide a transformative roadmap for many of America's children.