High test scores? Not so fast....

PEORIA -- Here is a fascinating story by retired Manual High School English teacher Sharon Crews on the truth about high test scores recently reported in Peoria:

In her book The Death and Life of the Great American School System, Diane Ravitch states, “The pressure to increase test scores is likely to produce higher scores, whether by coaching or cheating or manipulating the pool of test takers.  As long as the state or district superintendent continues to report good news about student performance, the public seems satisfied, and the media usually sees no reason to investigate whether the gains are real.  State and local leaders want to claim credit for improvement, rather than determine whether the improvement was meaningful.”

When I began hearing rumors that Manual High School had increased its AYP percentages in reading and math by double digits, my cynicism kicked in as I began to wonder which of the three “causes” listed by Ravitch could be the explanation for the gain.

When I heard at Monday night’s board meeting that Manual’s reading AYP had increased by 17 points, I was convinced that there was some hidden truth to be ferreted out.

When I saw the Yearly Progress Report in the September 14, 2010, issue of the Peoria Journal Star, I had my answer.  I knew for sure that Manual had used the third method—manipulating the pool of test takers.  I noticed that Manual was listed only once—as a high school.  However, as is often stated, Manual is two schools under one roof, a seventh and eighth grade academy and the high school.  Eight graders and eleventh graders are tested.    I was convinced that Manual had manipulated the pool of test takers by somehow combining the results of these two tests.

A call to District 150’s Accountability and Research Department confirmed my suspensions, and Dave Haney then further investigated to write the “truth” in September 17’s Peoria Journal Star.  In this case, I am grateful that the media did investigate to see if the gains were real.

Looking at the AYP for last year’s District 150 middle schools reveals why Manual High School would benefit from reporting 8^th and 11^th grade results together.   The reading AYP percentages for all the middle schools were 42, 50, 69, 77, 77, 83, 85, 87, and 100.  Peoria High’s reading AYP was 39.9, Richwoods’ was 64.2, and Woodruff’s was 24.0.  Obviously, the middle school’s AYP percentages are higher, so it is easy to see how Manual benefited from its more “creative” way of figuring AYP.

Even with a 17 pt. gain, instead of the real 4.8 gain, Manual’s reading AYP for 2009-2010 is still only 34.1.  

Figuring the 8^th and 11^th grade scores together is deceptive enough, but even more deceptive is the fact that District 150 is passing Manual High School’s AYP off to the unsuspecting public as a 17 point gain in reading.

When Brian Chumbley read the results at the September 13 board meeting, he should have revealed that Manual’s AYP included the 8^th grade tests.  Therefore, District 150 allowed the public to believe that Manual had surpassed Peoria High whose AYP had risen 10 points without the benefit of 8^th grade scores.

Manual’s math AYP dwindled from a 23.1% increase (with 8^th grade scores) to a 9.6% increase (without the 8^th grade scores). 

These higher AYP percentages serve two purposes.  First, they probably allowed Manual to achieve Safe Harbor with regard to NCLB watch and warning lists.

Secondly, the dramatic but falsified gains will be used to show that the $200,000 plus Johns Hopkins program is working wonders at Manual and, therefore, to convince District 150 school board to continue spending money on this program that is not the miracle cure for Manual’s low test scores.

This the second time that the reporting of Manual test scores has been less than honest.In March, 2010, Manual’s 7^th and 8^th grade academy leader spoke on WEEK News.  She made this statement:  “Test scores for almost all academy students have improved dramatically.  Throughout the nation, usually students improve three or four points.  Our students went up 11.4 points from the fall to the winter assessment.” 

Nowadays when people hear test scores bandied about, they think of NCLB AYP.  An eleven point gain for AYP would be dramatic.  However, whether intentionally or unintentionally, this report of an 11.4 gain was deceptive.  First, the test was the math NWEA test.  Secondly, 11 points isn’t that much of a gain.  The points for this test go up past 1200 whereas the AYP scale goes up to only 100).  Therefore, in fact, the 11 point gain was less than a 1 percent gain—not much about which to brag.

These numbers were presented to attract more students to Manual’s “choice” 7^th and 8^th grade academy.

This whole scenario of testing mania and choice schools proves the main point of the Ravitch’s book, the subtitle of which states, “Testing and Choice are Undermining Education” all over our country.

It is time to work together to stop the farce called No Child Left Behind.  We have to stop being trapped by NCLB’s very narrow and unreliable way of evaluating education.  Please read the book.

 -- Sharon Crews