Re: MEAP Scores Up Says the Snooze, but then read the article

[Susan Harman <susanharman@igc.org>]

In fact, it is the test that has gotten the most well-intentioned  
attention and care of any state test. Many years ago, researchers tried  
to figure out a way for it to take into account the two factors no test  
can deal with: prior knowledge and motivation.
That is, no test can level the playing field so that kids taking it  
arent at an advantage or disadvantage by having had different  
upbringings, which is why all tests really test mothers education,  
overwhelmingly more than anything else. (Except for some ingenious  
IQ-type perceptual tests that kids presumably have never seen before.)
The other uncontrollable factor is motivation. If a kid decides to blow  
the test off, thats that.
Anyhow, they tried very hard to make the MEAP immune to these factors,  
but couldnt.
Susan

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Rich Gibson <rgibson@pipeline.com>
> Date: Mon Jan 22, 2007  12:47:06 AM US/Pacific
> To: ca-resisters@interversity.org
> Subject: [ca-resisters] MEAP Scores Up Says the Snooze, but then read  
> the article
> Reply-To: ca-resisters@interversity.org
>
> http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070122/SCHOOLS/ 
> 701220385
>
> The Michigan MEAP may remain the most bizarre of the state tests. It  
> was long administered by the state Treasury Department, and is, I  
> think, still overseen by Standard and Poors personnel.
>
> The test was written by people utterly unqualified to write on matters  
> of substance, especially the social studies exam, but the rest as > well.
>
> There are MEAP demonstrations in schools, and "special MEAP" food that  
> kids are urged to eat.
>
> And, as almost always, it measures class, race, and subservience. Low  
> key boycotts of the MEAP continue, mostly in the richest and poorest  
> ares of the state.
>
> You are welcome to join us at the Their Wars Left Behind conference  
> March 1 to 4 in Detroit. It is a national conference on how to be  
> anti-war and pro-learning.
> http://www.pipeline.com/~rgibson/rouge_forum/
>
> best
>
> r
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> Direct questions about the list to listmom@interversity.net