Extra time?!?Reader comment on: FutureOfCapitalism on TV Submitted by benjamin Geballe (United States), Mar 24, 2010 23:27 Students take tests untimed for a variety of reasons, none of which effect the validity of the test. Standardized tests are designed to measure knowledge and skills, not the speed with which one can complete a task. Students who are English Language Learner receive extra time on tests (New York has quite a few of those), as do many students with special needs. The site linked above also has an agenda of its own as a charter school booster, granted it uses NAEP stats, but anytime a site chooses two. (I actually think charter schools have an important and constructive role to play, but I wouldn't trust the data as unbiased). If we go directly to the data, we see that New York outperforms the US average in virtually everycategory - this despite having a more challenging student population. Perhaps we should agree on a neutral arbiter to settle this dispute. In cost of living adjusted terms and taking into account the demographic profile, does New York get comparable results to other states? The totally bogus private site is just the first thing that popped up on google, and "personal attention" was one of four factors that contributed to the measurement. Regardless, I worry when anyone attempts to argue that test scores are the ultimate determinate of a successful education (even if New York does do well compared to the rest of the country). Tests are easy to measure, far easier than other social-emotional development. But when we assume that test scores are the be all and end all, we do a disservice to our children, stifling creativity, narrowing the curriculum to reading and math. We tread in dangerous ground when we put so much emphasis on tests to measure our students. By all means we should measure outcomes, but standardized tests should be one element that we use.Note: Comments are moderated by the editor and are subject to editing. Other reader comments on this item
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