NAEP Measure is Too Narrow

[Bob Schaeffer <bobschaeffer@earthlink.net>]

KEY FEDERAL TEST OF LEARNING IS TOO NARROW, REPORT SAYS

Chronicle of Higher Education News Blog -- February 20, 2008
by Peter Schmidt

The key federal test of students' progress in elementary and secondary 
schools offers "a distorted picture of achievement" and fails to fully 
examine how well schools prepare students for adult life, says a report 
<http://www.tcequity.org/i/a/document/6562_Rothstein_Summary_Report.pdf> 
commissioned by the Campaign for Educational Equity at Teachers College 
of Columbia University.

The report, posted online today, argues that the National Assessment of 
Educational Progress focuses too narrowly on basic academic and critical 
thinking skills in measuring how well students are being educated. 
Moreover, the report says, the federal benchmarking test fails to gauge 
the long-term impact of education because it does not look at whether 
adults who were educated at elementary and secondary schools do things 
such as vote, read independently, or stay in shape physically.

The report calls for the federal assessment to expand its scope in 
Washington and 36 states with high concentrations of disadvantaged young 
people to look at eight broad areas: social skills and work ethic; 
readiness for citizenship and community responsibility; preparation for 
lifelong physical health; preparation for lifelong emotional health; 
appreciation of the arts and literature; and (for those not destined for 
college) preparation for lifelong work.

"With NAEP so redesigned, states may be inspired to hold schools and 
school districts accountable for the broader range of outcomes that 
Americans want from their schools and other institutions of youth 
development," the report says.

The authors of the report are Richard Rothstein, a research associate at 
the Economic Policy Institute; Rebecca Jacobsen, an assistant professor 
of education at Michigan State University; and Tamara Wilder, a doctoral 
student in Teachers College's department of organization and leadership.

   full report at 
http://www.tcequity.org/i/a/document/6562_Rothstein_Summary_Report.pdf

   more background at http://www.tcequity.org/article.asp?t=d&id=6512