City students are passing standardized tests just by guessing

Despite Mayor Bloomberg's plan to end "social promotion," sixth-graders can score high enough on state English exams to move to the next grade - just by guessing.

The number of correct answers needed to score a Level 2 to get promoted has sunk so low that a student can guess on the multiple choice section and leave the rest of the test blank.

In seventh grade, students who guess need just one extra right answer to make the cut.

"The issue of the reliability of the test scores as measures of student growth needs to be addressed," Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch said.

"We understand we need to raise the bar, and we're going to."

The number of sixth-graders scoring the bottom Level 1 dropped from 10% in 2006, when twice as many points were required, to 0.2% this year.

Education Department spokesman Andrew Jacob defended the mayor's policy.

"We're always in favor of raising academic standards," Jacob said. "The mayor's policy would create a clear standard for promotion where there wasn't one before."

A state Education Department spokesman defended the tests.

"The Level 2 score can describe a broad range of student skills and achievement," spokesman Tom Dunn said.

"Our [third- to eighth-grade] exams were not designed to determine whether students are ready for promotion."

Education experts have called for greater transparency.

"The tests in New York have a real credibility problem right now," said Michael Petrilli, vice president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.

"The people in charge of the test have an incentive to raise scores," he said.

"Just having the conflict of interest creates a problem even if all the officials are playing by the rules."

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/08/12/2009-08-12_standardized_tests_being_passed_just_by_guessing.html

City students are passing standardized tests just by guessing

City students are passing standardized tests just by guessing

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