Re: Justification for the SAT

["Dr. William C. Cala, Ed.D." <wcala@SERVTECH.COM>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen McGinnis" <Nanodev@AOL.COM>
To: <ARN-L@LISTS.CUA.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, September 01, 2001 9:34 AM
Subject: Re: Justification for the SAT


> The fundamental problem is the inherent bias in the assessment reform
> community.  There is an unquestioned belief that somehow teachers assign
> grades in a perfect manner that never contains bias.  The fact that there
are
> multiple assessments by many individuals is irrelevant.  Since the
teaching
> corps is very homogeneous and grades are based on almost identical
subjective
> factors (homework, neatness, behavior,etc.) the inclusion of multiple
> evaluations does not improve accuracy.  This argument is in fact identical
to
> saying that if we gave the SAT and the ACT to every student, every month,
it
> would somehow become an accurate assessment.
>
> I find it interesting that the PSAT was mentioned.  There has been a
> substantial effort led by FairTest to eliminate apparent bias in this
> objective test.  (This was of course done by adding a subjective
component.)
> However, most scholarships and financial aid are awarded based on teacher
> assigned grades. This bias has never been challenged.
>
> The latest Department of Education data shows that the college attendance
> gender gap is 56%-44% and widening.   As a result, it is particularly
> appropriate to begin to examine the gender diversity of the student body
(as
> many institutions are currently doing) and to examine the use of biased
> assessments in the admission process.  (In fact there have been several
> reports of institutions adding to male applicants GPA and/or subtracting
from
> female students GPA to counter the effects of grade bias.)  However, the
> optimum solution would be to address the gender bias inherent in the
grading
> process.
>
> Of course such an analysis will not happen.  The belief in the absolute
> accuracy of classroom grades reminds me of something from another era.
Are
> we back to the dogma that the earth is flat?  There seems to be an equal
> amount of quantitative evidence to support both theories.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Steve McGinnis
>
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