Re: how many high stakes?

[Page McCullough <pagemc@MINDSPRING.COM>]

The official deal in NC is that no social promotion starts with 5th
graders next school year, followed by 3rd and 8th the next year with
high school exam for the class of 2003. The interesting thing is how
quickly scores of local systems have already adopted these
requirements as local policy. So much so, that we all think that they
are already required. This might mean that other states will very
rapidly follow suit.



> From:   pagemc@MINDSPRING.COM (Page McCullough)
>
> Monty, is there a good, ready reference for finding the "basics" of
> each state's testing program, as it is now and as it will be as it is
> phased in? I agree, we need to be very accurate about our doomsday
> pronouncements; things are bad enough. But are you sure about one
> test for retention being in only two states--I know NC is doing it;
> and NY? and IL? and?<<
>
> Nothing is very current. The FAirTest descriptions of each state's program
> and plans now dates from the 1996-97 school year. The Council of Chief State
> School Officers conducts more or less annual surveys on state testing
> programs, which includes a section on plans, but their most recent report
> dated Fall 1999 covers the 1997-98 school year, making it one year more
> recent than hours but undoubtedly inaccurate for some states. CCSSO telephone
> is 202/408-5505, ask for the assessment center.
>
> New York state does not mandate using tests for retention, nor does IL (which
> also does not have a HS exit test). You are in NC and I am not, but I think
> the state has not yet imposed a grade promo test, though a number of
> districts are using the state test that way. Similarly, Chicago uses a test
> for grade promo, as does Los Angeles; New York's policies say tests are one
> factor, but many folks I talk with think that in reality schools will use the
> test as <the> determinant in most cases. In other words, this madness has
> spead in cities and some districts, but states are moving more slowly.
>
> The 2 states which this year will use tests to determine grade promotion are
> Louisiana and Florida. A few more are in the pipeline -- Texas for sure, I am
> thinking SC and NC, but am not certain, and Lisa has informed us about the
> sneaky way they might do it in GA.
>
> Monty
>
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Page McCullough
Rural School and Community Trust
Policy Program
919/220-8004-office
page.mccullough@ruraledu.org
www.ruraledu.org

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