Multiple Guess Bubble Tests
By Brian on Mar 29, 2006
Boyd features the unconventional academic success of George Mason, which set me off on a riff in his comments. I’ll repost here:
In related news, ABSS Super Jim Merrill is leaving for Virginia Beach and the Times-News coverage is dominated by the change in standardized test scores during his tenure here. Perfect evidence that Merrill successfully led teachers to teach to a worthless test.
In 25 years when I’m looking back at my kids’ education I won’t be concerned about test scores but about critical and logical thinking, about expression (verbal and written and musical and visual), about mathematical and scientific and technical expertise, about being prepared to contribute to society and make a living. Multiple-guess bubble tests measure little of that and don’t measure any of it well.
Will any candidates to be the new ABSS chief be wise enough to exploit the inefficiencies? If so, will they even get an interview? I’m afraid I already know the answer.
Even worse than the misrepresentation of student achievement under Dr. Merrill’s tenure with the Alamance-Burlington school system, is the nauseating manner in whic Dr. Merrill marketed himself to the Virginia Beach City school system as achieving results in closing the academic gap for minority students. I am a minority parent here in Burlington and I am appalled that the reports of the newspaper Virginian-Pilot state that one of the main reasons the school board hired Merrill was because of his good relationship with the minority community in Burlington.This flies in the face of comments by NAACP leader Patsy Simpson in yesterday’s Burlington Times-News stating that Merrill never reached out to the black community. Regardless, I am absolutely surprised at Merrill using this relationship to his advantage. It never ceases to amaze me that whenever schools need money or sympathy, they are quick to throw out that it’s needed for blacks and minorities. I hate that our black children are often used to advance individuals in the education system. Merrill ought to be ashamed of himself.
Karen Mebane | Mar 30, 2006 | Reply
how do you know the test is worthless? if not that test, then which one? everyone teaches to somebody’s test.
Vince Powell | Feb 11, 2007 | Reply