According to an exclusive report in the New York Daily News, the Common Core testing widened the achievement gaps between high-needs students and their advantaged peers. The Daily News had access to a study by the Annenberg Institute for School Reform.
“According to the Annenberg report, schools with the highest concentration of special-education students saw a 64% decrease in reading scores and 72% decline in math scores. Those with the most English-language learners dropped by roughly 70% in both reading and math.
“Black and Latino students suffered a 56% decrease in reading scores and more than a 60% decrease in math scores from 2012 to 2013, according to the report.”
Before the tests, the city’s chief academic officer Shael Polakow-Suransky, insisted that the purpose of the Common Core testing was to increase equity. He wrote to all schools in New York City, “At its heart, our ongoing transition to the Common Core standards is about equal opportunity.” But now he says, “Anytime you raise standards, the achievement gap for our neediest students gets bigger.”
Well, yes, if you raise the bar to 6 feet, those who struggled to clear the 4-foot bar won’t be able to jump over it. They will fail. They will believe it is their own fault. They will feel discouraged. They may give up, not realizing that they fell because of adults who made the tests so hard that most students failed.
This was a predictable train wreck. The children are the victims. Will anyone be held accountable at the State Education Department or the New York City Department of Education, or for that matter, at the U.S. Department of Education? Don’t count on it.
The only ones who will be punished for the adults’ bad decisions are the children.
And the adults, instead of admitting their errors, will cover up their misdeeds by continuing to make absurd promises that it is good to get low scores because they might go up next time. Or they might not.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I’m shocked – SHOCKED! – to learn that the planned destruction of American public education is being furthered by this initiative designed to destroy American public education.
Interesting that the same tests that are demonized and discredited on this blog routinely are now used as evidence to prove a point.
Yes, ededed, the point is that the tests are misused.
Tests should be used to identify needs and weaknesses.
The results of these tests do not arrive until the student has a different teacher. No help there.
The teacher is not allowed to see the students’ answers, so can learn nothing about the students’ needs.
These tests-the NY Common Core tests-were wildly inappropriate, and the results show it.
That is why so many kids “failed.”
If you are in fifth grade, and the questions were written for eighth-grade, only the top 30% will do well.
“These tests-the NY Common Core tests-were wildly inappropriate, and the results show it.”
The point is we can’t “double dip” in terms of using the tests as evidence of things we don’t like. If the tests were way too hard, and we’re saying that’s the reason the scores have dropped, then we can’t also say that tests are evidence that common core standards haven’t worked. You’d have to explain away the influence that faulty tests cause and rule out that variable before you could use those test results as evidence for a second variable such as CCSS.
In either case, though, if you’re using test data as evidence in an argument, you’ve essentially accepted the reliability and validity of those tests in terms of measuring student achievement.
ededucation,
As usual, you’re wrong in every way: Diane and other opponents of high stakes testing refer to the exams in order to demonstrate that even by their own narrow measures, the so-called reformers have failed, let alone according to a broader view of what education should be.
Michael, low test scores don’t prove that all reforms – including CCSS – have failed. They could simply mean, as Diane pointed out, that they are too hard. Consider this: what if a particular reform resulted in a 20% improvement in reading scores, but the test was 40% more difficult, so the net result demonstrated a 20% loss. How would you know that the reform had actually made a positive impact? This is my point.
ed You make a good argument for not assuming the validity of the data. I agree you cannot use the data to argue the tests used to generate the data are invalid.
The problem is we are bootstrapping this whole CCSS and testing. We use the standard and then create tests which in reality create the standards. There is no evidence, no controlled studies, no peer review of any part. The standards magically appeared on the national scene followed by tests.
If Microsoft was to release Windows 9 nationwide without any market research, skipping all quality assurance testing, and force every customer to buy the product, they would probably go out of business.
If the goal is to close the “achievement gap”, one of the original purposes of TFA (epic fail), well that isn’t going to happen.
But using their own mantra against them sheds a light…..maybe that never was the purpose of “reform”. And for those who, at one point believed the self appointed reformers had good intentions, they may now have doubts.
I have always believed the goals was to: destroy the unions, deprofessionalize teaching, create churn, cut down on the workforce, reduce labor costs, funnel taxpayers funds towards eduschemes and kill public education.
The kids are props, teacher are robots, testing is teaching and this is reform (for OPC).
Your repeated attempts at intellectual and ideological purity are not working for you or for your arguments.
Diane uses these tests against their supporters and points out the ridiculous results of a poorly written, mis-used, mandatory tests that sicken children and harm teachers and schools and you keep criticizing her for using the test results to talk about the test without offering any alternative that might prove effective.
There is no way to confront the mandatory testing regime in place in this country without acknowledging the reality that millions of students and teachers face taking these tests and that includes talking about the actual tests and the results as published and interpreting them scientifically to counteract the spin and misuse of the data as is so prevalent with the reformers.
As far as I can tell from your blog you advocate a progressive reform that wants to completely ignore the reality of today’s public education system and you seem to think that by ignoring and refusing to talk about things like testing and VAM that you can convince others that you are right and they are wrong.
Sorry, it’s not a useful approach with politics or with education. No one is advocating going back to pre-NCLB education, as you claim, but we are all arguing here that post-NCLB reforms that are not based in research, have no proven track record of success, ignore poverty effects and teacher inexperience, cost billions of dollars that flow up to corporations and away from classrooms should all be ended immediately.
Being a purity troll and a broken record about how you are right and everyone else is wrong because they differ in approach does nothing to build coalitions or forward the discussion. Why does Diane’s position and approach attract international attention and hundreds of comments while your own blog and approach don’t? Think about it before you start lobbing the same criticisms over and over.
Smackdown! 🙂
Chris, I’m reading a lot of very general thoughts in response to my comment, but not much specific. The typical response I experience on this blog, though not always, is a lack of response to the specific point that I make, with a substituted ideological statement that I don’t usually disagree with, and I’m not arguing against.
Here are a few specific responses to your comments:
“Diane uses these tests against their supporters…”
I understand this. My comment was about HOW she was doing so, not THAT she was doing so.
“As far as I can tell from your blog you advocate a progressive reform that wants to completely ignore the reality of today’s public education system”
I advocate progress and incorporating new things we learn into what we do. Call that what you want. How have I specifically ignored today’s public education system? Which of my comments seems to do so?
“you seem to think that by ignoring and refusing to talk about things like testing and VAM that you can convince others that you are right and they are wrong.”
When I have refused to talk about testing & VAM when I should have mentioned it? I disagree with both, as I’ve said multiple times before. Can you identify where I’ve stated otherwise?
“we are all arguing here that post-NCLB reforms that are not based in research, have no proven track record of success, ignore poverty effects and teacher inexperience, cost billions of dollars that flow up to corporations and away from classrooms should all be ended immediately.”
ALL post NCLB reforms? Every single thing that’s been tried since 2001 has been an utter failure? If you look back at my posts, you’ll see that I side with Diane on almost every issue when it comes to popularly discussed reforms – VAM, state testing, etc. However, there are plenty of new strategies that have been rolled out since 2001 that have worked. By NOT mentioning any of the positive changes in education, and advocating against all “reforms” broadly put, you ignore the complexities of the actual public education system. In my opinion, my comments are actually based much more on the reality of what’s going on in public education than many comments here which blanketly dismiss all changes in education as “corporate reform.”
“Being a purity troll and a broken record about how you are right and everyone else is wrong because they differ in approach does nothing to build coalitions or forward the discussion.”
I’m no more a broken record than the posts and comments on this blog and elsewhere. I’d be happy to move on to other topics of conversation, but on this blog Diane controls the discussion topics and we merely respond. What specifically would you like to discuss, and where can we do it? As a matter of fact, moving the conversation forward to actual positive change is exactly what I’m calling for. Name the time and place.
“Why does Diane’s position and approach attract international attention and hundreds of comments while your own blog and approach don’t?”
First, I believe Diane’s position and approach attract many folks because she is right with most issues she discusses in my opinion. The likely reason why my blog is not as popular is that I haven’t held a high ranking education position in the country, I’ve only made about 5 blog posts total, and have never once promoted it. Does that make my ideas wrong because I don’t have as many readers?
Linda, I had hoped we had passed the unprofessional comments. Enjoyed our previous encounter that seemed to be more civil.
Please don’t report me to the comment police. Sorry to have disappointed you.
No, in all seriousness Linda, I think last time we both saw each other’s humanity and that we probably both really care about education. I bet you are a great teacher, and hope you saw that I’m not a troll who just wants to stir up trouble. I’m hoping we can continue that positive conversation.
I did not say all reforms should be rejected. I said those THAT are not research based and proven. You accuse the commenters here of groupthink and selective reading and that is what you do yourself. I stand by my comments.
Wrong. You need to take an educational assessment & psychometrics class. These tests scores are being misinterpreted & misused for political not educational purposes.
I have, and I agree they are. Where have I disagreed with your comments?
We don’t even need all the standardized tests to know for sure that constant drill & bubble fill, losing a month to a month and a half of a years’ instructional time, teaching to the test and teaching skills above many children’s developmental abilities….makes no sense and is a no-brainer. That info we have known for years! Now, the junk science, the only indicator used by the EdReformers speaks to them. We’ve known it from day one. Now, their junk data bitt them in the A**. However, kds and teachers paid the highest price! Lost instruction and preparation for life.
Within several months of the school year, I already know who will pass, who might pass, and who won’t. But don’t take my word for it, let’s spend millions of dollars just in case I’m wrong.
Exactly……you read my mind, but there’s no money to be made when you rely on professional judgment. Better to destroy us….it’s all for the kid$.
“When adults distort reality for the sake of politics, kids lose.”
Read this to see what “distorted reality really” looks like:
http://www.studentsfirst.org/blog/entry/key-takeaways-from-new-yorks-test-scores
Wow I just clicked on the link. I think I am now a “grassroots” supporter.
She says, ” More honest assessments and stronger accountability will help us give kids what they deserve – the best possible schools and a path to success.”
Not sure the Rheeject should be preaching to us about honesty and accountability.
The scores will go up Diane – because if it suits their purposes they will find ways to play with the difficulty of the test or the cut scores and bring them up (and the difficulty of the test in particular is hard to prove when you can’t see the test) – do we really think Pearson is an objective observer who will design a completely equitable test independent of who leans on them?
The one silver lining is that so long as charters are held to the same standard, they can demonstrate their abject failure along side public schools. That’s why they want to not be held to them anymore.
These tests are toxic pills designed to kill Public Education and the murderers with their fingerprints on the bottle are those in charge of it. We must pursue killing these exams, and, while they still exist, charter schools should never be exempt from these accountability measures.
Naje them lash themselves to their sinking ship, investigate, and point out at every turn every manipulation they try.
We know the game, we know what they’re going to do. We have to have responses ready. The outcomes for the next 5 years are so will be entirely predictable as test scores will go up from their baseline and more miracles will abound – until they burn up in flames after their damage is done.
M, one of the things I noticed was that quite a few charters that were 10+% above NYC average in 2012 actually fell below the average for 2013. Too be honest, that doesn’t make sense! http://project.wnyc.org/schoolbook-testscores/
“To be honest…”
But they can’t be, their house of cards will collapse.
Both Democrats & Republicans who support theses moves to corporatize public schools need to be held accountable at the ballot box. Voters need to make stars like Corey Booker in New Jersey justify his support for the destruction of public schools. No longer should politicians be given a pass on this issue. They should have to explain at every town hall & press conference. They need to answer tough questions from parents, teachers & the press.
That is the only way this madness will end for public school kids, their parents, their teachers, their schools & communities.
I agree!
I hope education is HUGE part of debate questions next round of elections.
For me, it is no longer just one issue when considering a candidate. It is THE issue.
Agree with you! Education is the big issue!
Corey Booker is a privatization cheerleader who got his political start in right wing foundations. Glen Ford’s thorough investigative reporting at Black Agenda Report exposes Corey’s past & present connections to groups who care nothing for the poor constituents he pretends to represent.
I suggest you sit down and watch this riveting speech & read the article links if you want a real picture of Corey
http://blackagendareport.com/content/glen-ford-corporate-assault-public-education
Tongue in Cheek? Wordplay?
Can not agree that the Kommon Kore has any impact on the gap.
I am a middle school teacher of English Language Learners in NYC. Many of my students are also special education students. It burns me up to go to these idiotic workshops where they tell us that a beginner ELL needs to read the same text as their native English proficient peers. When they say this, I imagine myself in China and the teacher gives me an 8th grade text to read in Chinese. I tell the teacher I don’t know how to read, write, or speak Chinese. The teacher says to me, “Don’t worry. Just read it “closer.” So, I read the text again and again. When that doesn’t work, I bring the text “closer” to my eyes and guess what….I STILL DON’T UNDERSTAND IT – THE TEXT IS WAY OVER MY ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT.
Sorry for the shouting….and thanks for allowing me to vent.
Thanks for this post. Why can’t the reformers understand this? I retired early from teaching at the RI School for the Deaf partly because we were considered a failing school based on standardized test scores, and I knew I couldn’t go along with what was coming. Keep in mind RL’s points, and now add that the students are deaf, many come from non-English speaking homes, and many have parents who cannot communicate with them fluently in sign language. It’s Orwellian that to provide a world-class curriculum with high expectations, we must fail to attend to the very needs that the students present with in the first place. And thanks for mentioning the zone of proximal development. The only zone that the reformers seem to recognize is the zone to develop profit while sounding like a promoter of civil rights.
I am an ELL teacher in a school district in Westchester County. I have had the same experience. It’s like they’ve discounted all the research about second language learning. Specifically, that it takes 5-7 years to develop academic language fluency in a native language, IF YOU ARE LITERATE IN YOUR NATIVE LANGUAGE; 7-10 years IF YOU ARE NOT LITERATE IN YOUR NATIVE LANGUAGE.
I’m a NY public school parent, not an educator, so I could be way off here – but it seems to me that the general communication tone of the past two years’ (Pearson) tests is different than that of the previous set (McGraw Hill) in a way that is itself culturally inappropriate and highly likely to widen achievement gaps. Granted we have only seen samples from Pearson but the trend is all through the samples available.
Pearson questions are far more adversarial in tone. They use more jargon, they insert unnecessary words, they stack up clauses with out-of-the-way word ordering and old fashioned syntax. They also seem more arbitrary: the difference between two right answers is smaller and sometimes comes down to guessing the questioner’s personal tastes and values.
This approach to examination fits tidily into a learning culture where wise-but-curmudgeonly authorities mold students by putting them through a little hell (think Hogwarts or Tom Brown’s School Days) that they will look back on fondly after it’s safely over. This can be an interesting game-like challenge for a talented, high-functioning student who has a high level of external resources and support, but otherwise is basicially abuse.
The teachers will be blamed! They will be deemed as ineffective. Ultimately, the students will suffer!
Interesting tidbit: I am reading a biography of Obama’s mother by Janny Scott.
Here is a quote regarding Obama’s schooling in Indonesia (before his mother sent him to Hawaii): “Indonesian schools in the late 1960s and early 1970s were inadequate. There were not enough of them, the government controlled the curriculum, teachers were poorly trained.”
Hmmmm. I guess we are on a fast train from “failing” to inadequate.
Is anyone really surprised that the CC tests widen achievement gaps? Debate on education MUST take place during the next election. It needs to take place during ANY election, be it for the President, Congress,Governor, state legislature, State Superintendent if that is an elected official in your state, Mayor, School District Superintendent if that is an elected official where you live and school board members.
Find and support education friendly candidates! Run for office yourself! I will be voting for an independent for the first time in my state’s upcoming election to replace Senator Jo Bonner. The person I’m voting for has answered my questions regarding his position on education and believes that the federal government is way to involved in education.
Based on the DOE’s own statistics only 6% of disabled students passed. This is criminal. It will not be much better next year because these tests work against students with language-based learning disabilities. How can one expect a student to answer questions if they have a decoding problem and cannot read a fifth grade test at the eighth grade level in readability? By the way PARCC just came out with guidelines to alter some test accommodations. They now want literacy tests to be read to the student. That defeats the purpose of such a test. It is no longer a reading test, but a listening test. But who cares about purpose when tests have political agendas.
Tests can tell us something about the achievement gap, they do not define the achievement gap. The results of this test did not make the gap bigger, it may have revealed that the gap is bigger than previously acknowledged.
Maybe the test scores will go up the next time around? Notice how the manipulation continues to hold the conversation centered on test scores? Every very good teacher, working in the impacted neighborhoods, can attest to how old the so-called achievement gap really is but they might insist that democracy has been found lacking and not the kids. The fat cats don’t want voices that begin to describe vibrant citizenship and what it would look like in one of these schools. They can’t replicate that curriculum or sell it for a profit or tolerate it because it removes their hands from the levers of power.
Some of my special needs students went on to community college, others to trades. My students left school being able to fill out a time sheet, count money, make change, keep a budget, figure out amount of paint for a room, figure a bill and tip. They worked for UPS, cashiers,etc. They were working citizens, making a living, paying taxes. I taught many of their children as well. And they all did poorly on standardized tests but were successful.
Not that we have any expertise on factors affecting the achievement gap, but here’s a look at some of New York’s math test questions:
http://ccssimath.blogspot.com/2013/08/nyseds-released-2013-exam-questions.html
Our class had the “privilege” of taking the ELA SmarterBalance test for common core 4th grade. It was horrible. There were split screens, essays to type (our students have no keyboarding experience) and things to click and drag. So in addition to getting students ready for the CC standards, we will need time for computer and keyboard lessons AND we will need the updated technology in time to get our students familiar with it. Oh, and let’s not forget that in CA we are still expected to teach for the CST next year…no transition time to Common Core. Ridiculous!
The U.S. is a low-poverty country, in which less than 25 percent of the students live in poverty. However, about three quarter of the school districts have more than 25 percent of students eligible for free and reduced priced lunch. Now this has a huge impact on scores across the country.
The inequity I see is not only that some communities have way too many poor people living there, but that some have so few. It seems unfair that many communities are able to avoid bearing this burden, when they appear to be the ones best able to afford it.
The CCSS is not meant to help with educating our students – but another money-making/political agenda scheme to put public education into special interest and corporate hands. The debate over effectiveness and test scores is only there to divide supporters of PUBLIC education. This fight is not about education but business and control. The sooner we all realize that, the sooner we can join together to make a public educational system that benefits children and students – not the corporations.
1). What are they trying to prove by making the test above grade level?
2). Weren’t the results of CC testing supposed to be below average for a while since they are supposed to work in conjunction with each standard starting from K going through 12?
Dr. Ravitch, Raising the bar extremely high leaves it open for teachers to be hurt in the process. 1. It has been extremely difficult to let students have the ld services that they need. RTI has regular education training tutoring small groups of students instead of considering LD placement. RTI programs and continued failure qualifies students for LD but districts still insist on traditional testing which might show that students do no qualify. I have seen a large drop in LD placement at the lower levels. If teachers are held accountable for student learning, yet they have learning disabilities while only in regular education, any teacher can be fired, tenured or not. Do you see a large transition here from student, teacher, and parent accountability to only teacher accountability?
What do you think of the Charlotte Danielson model of evaluating teachers? It seems to be designed for classrooms that have students whose only objective is to learn. We all know students sometimes have other objectives. It includes after school events and if you have your own children or two ailing parents it would be difficult to score high is the after school part of the evaluation.
Thank you for your posts, Kathleen
It is child abuse.