Test scores are out -- now what?
Education Summit 2000
At this fall’s Education Summit, educators, decision makers and others gathered to explore ways to make sound educational use of the test scores from both the Benchmarks and High School Graduation Qualifying Exams. The summit, hosted by the Dept. of Education and Early Development, was moderated by Lt. Gov. Frank Ulmer.
Can the numbers tell schools about the strengths and weaknesses of their instructional program? Can the numbers help educators distinguish those students who are learning from those who are not? Can these scores help educators understand why the distinctions in student learning exist? Finally, can the numbers provide a clue to educators about what they can do to improve student learning? The answer to all these questions is a resounding yes!
That’s the good news. The not-so-good news is that interpreting the test scores is not a quick or easy process. To help Alaska educators get a start in making sense of the test scores, the department invited to the summit Dr. James Cox, an assessment specialist with CTB/McGraw-Hill, the creators of both the Benchmarks and the High School Graduation Qualifying Exam. Dr. Cox presented several papers and instruments designed to assist educators in disaggregating, analyzing and utilizing standardized test scores to make sound educational decisions.
Recognition and thanks go to Dr. Jim Cox for granting NEA-Alaska permission to reproduce his materials on our Web site. It is our hope that members and visitors to the site will find his work as inspirational and insightful as did the participants of Ed Summit 2000.
Published here with permission are the three papers presented by Dr. Cox at the Ed Summit:
