The federal test, the National Assessment of Education Progress–called “The Nation’s Report Card”–will begin testing “grit.” Grrr.
QUESTIONING GRIT: How do issues such as “grit” – or perseverance – and school climate correlate to student test performance? Following next year’s National Assessment of Educational Progress, researchers hope to have more clues. The student questionnaire on NAEP in 2017 will include a series of questions that address what are known as “non-cognitive” skills. By asking several questions within the topic areas, acting NCES Commissioner Peggy Carr tells Morning Education they will get “multiple chances to get the best measurement possible.” Researchers will take the answers to create an index that’s compared with test scores to create a composite designed to reflect the relationship between factors such as grit and academic achievement. Students will also be asked about technology use and their socioeconomic status.
– A glance at questions piloted earlier this year suggests what researchers are looking for [http://1.usa.gov/296dnLY ], although how the questionnaire will look next year could change. One pilot question, for example, asked fourth graders if they have a “problem while working toward an important goal, how well can you keep working?” Another question asks how often they “felt left out of things at school?” The questionnaire typically takes students about 15 minutes to fill out, and is optional.
– These types of questions have long helped researchers and policymakers to better understand student learning, said Bill Bushaw, the executive director of the National Assessment Governing Board. He said no personally-identifying information is collected from the sample of students taking NAEP, and no questions are asked about personal beliefs or religion. “It really helps understand the differences in academic achievement and that’s really what this is about,” Bushaw said. For example, in the past, Bushaw said a question that asked students how many times they’d been absent in the last month led researchers to conclude that students who miss a lot of school have lower achievement. School districts have responded by focusing more on school attendance.
Just think. We will soon know which state has the grittiest students. Which race and ethnicity and gender needs more grit. Where the grit gap is. The possibilities for research are amazing!
Diane Ravitch's blog 
The boost in profits for the corporations creating these bogus tests is also worht mentioning.
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At least the NAEP is not given to every student every year. Let not the NAEP questionnaire influence the state tests into more of it. When the state tests attempt to measure personality traits, serious issues of privacy arise. One day in the not too distant future, all of this personality profiling data will be used to affect people’s credit ratings, employment, military recruitment and service… And targeted advertising, oh, the targeted advertising!
Grit is just a trendy word on Fox channels nowadays, like tiger mom was for a while. There is a show on Fox called “American Grit” wherein “pro wrestler John Cena is joined by an elite group of military mentors who command contestants… to test survival skills.” I gather the obstacle course is called The Circus. Sounds pretty reformy to me.
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WWE is actually very reminiscent of school reform. All very ‘authentic”.
I just wish we could watch the tag team of Arne Duncan and Raj Chetty going at it in the ring against Bill Gates and David Coleman (all in speedo wrestling trunks, of course) .
Or Michelle Rhee cat fighting with Eva Moskowitz. Now there’s a match I’d pay good money to see.
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The funny thing is that the reformers already have all the requisite colorful personalities and props.
Rhee could come riding in on her broomstick and Moskowitz could be carrying a lion tamer’s chair and whip and Duncan could come in dribbling a basketball and Gates could be the Nerd with a calculator and pens and Coleman could be an Oxford Don saying things to his opponents like “No one gives a @&*! what you think!”
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You realize you just made me picture Bill Gates in a speedo, don’t you, Poet. Discombobulating. Now I am very confused. Am I supposed to have grit or wrestle chickens?!? Help me, half naked Bill Gates! I’m not smart enough to make decisions without your incredibly cool, awesome, binary codey geniusness. Tell me how to teach middle school English. Tell me how to use the internet. Tell me what GMOs to eat. Then go to India tell me how to use the toilet. Paralyze some more kids while you’re there.
But I digress. This wrestling meets reality TV meets Rheeform actually makes perfect sense, though. They all share something in common — one winner surrounded by a whole lotta, well, not winners. And the winner is not the contestant. It’s the executive putting on the production. $$$$$$
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the responsible group is Fordham Institute (Marty West) and they worked with David Driscoll at NAEP to get this to happen. They did an inferior study (Marty West) and I have posted it here at least 6 times. David Driscoll is on “interlocking directorates” with the Fordham Institute and a handful of “insiders”… Please leave comments at Mike Petrillis’ site Fordham Institute and Education Next and tell them what you think of their horrid research studies.
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The grit gap. Good one.
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I believe that grit gap can be found in the gizzards of all birds. Attempts to measure the grit gap has, unfortunately, caused untold deaths of birds.
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“in the past, Bushaw said a question that asked students how many times they’d been absent in the last month led researchers to conclude that students who miss a lot of school have lower achievement. ‘
Who ever woulda thunk it?
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ONE WORD: NUTS! I hate GRIT.
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Grits are quite tasty, especially with cheese!
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Awful nonsense. Silly naive causation nonsense Correlation is not causation
Sent from my iPhone
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The wealthy attempt to justify their inherited riches, by patting themselves on the back, for special characteristics, like “grit”. In contrast, the traits they share are sociopathic tendencies, glomming onto to other people’s drivel, and leeching off of the productive.
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If there is one thing that I wish I could pound into these education “reformers” heads (well, all right, one thing among very many, but let’s start here), it’s “correlation is not causation.”
A friend of mine, years ago, was trying to peddle the “X happens and then Y, so X must cause Y” mantra. I said to her, “Well, almost all women who get breast cancer in this country either wear bras daily, or have worn bras. Therefore, wearing bras must cause breast cancer.”
She shut up after that.
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In today’s economic climate, grit kills. Reported today, “enormous differences of suicide rates across jobs…highest rates…(workers who face) unsteady employment.” Grit-ology makes conscientious workers think unemployment is their fault when the truth is, the GDP-dragging financial sector has destroyed good jobs for people who are productive.
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Partial blame belongs to the MacArthur Foundation, for rewarding bunk, that harms workers. Lincoln warned the nation against the ever present danger of people who demand “to eat the bread for which others toil”. When American scions increase productivity, by their own labor, their opinions might have value. Until then, their only grit is in the form of a parasite holding on.
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The word “grit”, as it has been co-opted by greedy edu-reformers, is a nasty four-letter word. I despise hearing how we have to instill it in our youngest learners so they can become college and career ready. And now they think they can test it on standardized tests. Oh please! Deliver us from this madness.
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It appears they are trying to change the self esteem policy practiced by many educators that believed high self esteem would lead to high achievement. Grit does not appear to be the only answer just like high self esteem was not the only answer. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/in-schools-self-esteem-boosting-is-losing-favor-to-rigor-finer-tuned-praise/2012/01/11/gIQAXFnF1P_story.html#comments
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While the questions asked may not include the child’s name, asking how many bathrooms are in their house, whether they have a dryer for just their family, and how education their parents have is pretty invasive. And that’s before they ask the grit questions….
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Wow… Kaplan will have a grit prep program. On line universities will offer a teacher specialty in “grit”… Common core will have all kinds of publications to prep students to augment their current level of “grit”… pretty soon Congress will enact ESSAGA (Every Student Succeeds At Grit Act). Pearson will be chomping at the bit about this and organizing all kinds of grit materials. David Coleman will be able to increase his eventual retirement benefits because he will have a number of years more now to create the “grit component” of common core. Why I bet recess will even be “structured” to have 20 minutes of specialized activity perfecting student grit crammed into this daily activity and there will be a program of certification for recess grit specialists. Bill Gates will host a Grit Conference and Walmart will augment its involvement with school food services teaming up with leading scientists on determining “grit-inducing” breakfast and lunch foods that can be packaged and microwaved. Schools might even be given federal funding in part based on adhering to grit-inducing policy (measured by rubrics designed by specialists who will have recently earned doctorates in the newly emerging field of grit. Charlotte Danielson will do a quick revision of her “revered” tome which includes a component on how teachers can instill, reflect on and measure grit. School departments nation-wide will excitedly have yet another “component” on which to evaluate their teaching staff.
I prefer to define grit as “small loose particles of stone” and leave it at that 🙂
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Amen. You said it. This grit business is ridiculous.
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If I may add one more: District level grit adminimals.
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And none of this information helps teachers. We know it already. No need to pay millions for this supposed info.
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Parton my language Diane, because I have the utmost respect for you and most of your readers, but what comes to mind is that perhaps next, the deformers wilt employ the “shit test.”
This will measure, of course, how the crap (pun intended) being served at some public schools in low income, impoverished neighborhoods can be made worse, can be cut down, can be defunded, and some at some point in this nonsense, teachers will be blamed, resources will be reduced, and schools can be marked for shuttering or turnaround to a for-profit charter manager/chain. The blame certainly won’t be placed on the government. By the way, doesn’t Walmart somehow/somewhere insert itself into the lunch/breakfast programs as well to boost its profits and lift its poor image because it doesn’t pay its workers a living wage? I think Walmart is all over the breakfast program in Arkansas.
Back to the test: it will ask about diameter, circumference, length, color, composition, sink ability, float ability, density. Was it runny? Was it chunky? Did it have an odor? Scentless? Did it fly out? Was pushing involved? How often? Might even be an essay question “IS ketchup a vegetable (?) the feds say it is indeed (because ketchup is cheaper than a real, nutritious, tomato–explain your answer and give examples.”
I’m hoping Poet will weigh in on this and give us a rhyme.
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It’s already started –
https://nccih.nih.gov/research/blog/advancing-resilience-research-foa
At least this is CAM medicine, but you know Pharma is going to get into the act.
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Short cut- People see good jobs in their neighborhoods, they do what it takes to get them.
Duckworth should study employment crap shoots and motivation. But, don’t expect her to get a MacArthur genius-lite award nor, for David Brooks, to extol her, crap shoot research.
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Regarding the NAEP Pilot Student Background Questions, Grade 4, DRAFT for piloting in 2016-2017.
New “background questions” will be in every booklet, or the digital equivalent. In my option, these questions are not ready for prime time. I worked on the first two NAEP tests in the visual arts. The background questions were tied to prior in-school and out-of school art experience and studies. These 2016-2017 pilot questions are of no use in illuminating students’ affinities and concerns about specific subjects. I think they are a waste of money and time.
There are 41 new background questions. Here are a few observations and concerns.
There are demographic questions, some are standard, some are not. Among these are 24 references to “home.” Example:
Do any of the following people live in your home? (Check all that apply)
Mother,
Stepmother,
Foster mother or other female legal guardian;
Father,
Stepfather,
Foster father or other male legal guardian.
Ten additional questions ask questions about mother and the father—level of education, whether employed, kind of employment (child describes in writing) and kind of employment again (choose best from 63 occupations). The same occupational lists are offered respectively for mother and for father.
Someone needs to tell NAEP that sociologists know the hazards of 1950s thinking about mother and father and two-parent families. This whole section is amateur hour. USDE has had the same problem in getting intelligible demographic information for survey questions suitable for this generation and for school-age participants in surveys.
Next problem: Of the 41 questions, over 25% ask about technology—smartphones, tablet, lap top computers internet use—at home, in school, for classes, for homework, grade level for first use. (For smartphones and tablets, the survey includes brand names as examples). Almost all of these questions struck me as having one main and blatant purpose: marketing research. These questions need a rationale. I could not find any.
Some teachers and others are already familiar with the push to have indicators for school climate, social-emotional wellbeing, a “growth mind set,” or character traits such as persistence, effort, goal-directedness, focus on learning, self-improvement. Here is a sample of some questions for field testing in 2016-2017, for grade 4.
Question 26. How much does each of the following statements describe a person like you? Select one answer choice on each row. There are five choices for answers from “Not at all like me” to “Very much like me.” (Imagine the dilemma of student who has a twin).
I finish whatever I begin.
I try very hard even after making mistakes.
I continue to work towards my goals, even when they take a long time to complete.
I keep working hard even when I feel like quitting.
I continue working on what I set out to do, even when it takes a long time to complete.
I keep trying to improve myself, even when it takes a long time to get there.
Here are the same questions tethered to the prospect of “school” as an influence on how you think of yourself.
Question 28. How much does each of the following statements describe a person like you? Select one answer choice on each row. (There are five choices for answers from “Not at all like me” to “Very much like me.”)
At school, I finish whatever I begin.
At school, I try very hard even after making mistakes.
At school, I continue to work towards my goals, even when they take a long time to complete.
At school, I keep working hard even when I feel like quitting.
At school, I continue working on what I set out to do, even when it takes a long time to complete.
At school, I keep trying to improve myself, even when it takes a long time to get there.
Questions 26 and 28 are framed for research on “growth mindset” In my opinion they are not relevant to the mission of NAEP, especially since they are not content specific ( e.g., math, ELA, science). These questions also frame school as place to do WORK, work hard, complete tasks, get assignments, pay attention even if you are not interested. Questions 26 and 27 are measures of having a “growth mindset.” Dr. Carol Dweck (and colleagues) think that this concept–“I can do it if I keep trying” is essential for success in school and easily addressed through planned interventions.
Here is Question 27. In this school year, how often have you done each of the following? Select one answer choice on each row. (There are five choices for answers from “Never or hardly ever” to “All or almost all of the time.”)
I came to class prepared.
I remembered and followed directions.
I started working on assignments right away rather than waiting until the last minute.
I paid attention and resisted distractions.
I stayed on task without reminders from my teacher.
I paid attention in class even when I was not interested.
Question 27 is one of several organized to measure self-discipline, short-term grit. Another question asks about sticking to a longer term goal (persistence for 3 months or more)–true grit.
One more example.
Question 36. In this school year, how often have you felt any of the following ways about your school? Select one answer choice on each row. (There are five choices for answers from “Never or hardly ever” to “All or almost all of the time.)”
I felt left out of things at school.
I felt like I belong at school.
I felt that I was treated fairly by my teachers.
I felt that teachers encouraged me to do my best.
I worried about crime and violence at my school.
I felt excited about something I learned in my classes.
I felt awkward and out of place at school.
I felt happy at school.
I looked forward to going to school in the morning.
I felt lonely at school.
I did not feel safe on my way to and from school.
I felt that I learned something that I can use in my daily life.
I felt that I learned something that will help me in the future.
I felt that I would like to go to a different school if I could.
Of the 14 statements in Question 36. six are clearly negative. The profile of a good or great school is also here–a place where you feel you belong.You are eager to get there and be with teachers who encourage you, treat you fairly, and help you learn things of use now or in the future. And you can see the opposing portrait in the negative statements.
I worry about the use of this information, especially since students are asked to supply their zip code. That information can easily be combined with existing state and federal databases that are loaded with other demographic information about schools, their test scores, and data from community surveys. In fact, all of the statements attached to Question 36 (and some others) strike me as planned to be of use in targeted marketing of schools of “choice (a, e, g, j, l, and n), available at greatschools.org. That “free” platform for school searches (including by zipcode) is really a pay-to-play marketing platform for Zillow, tech and text and other companies targeting the education market. Is NAEP, the once-upon-a-time gold standard in testing, a captive of the edubusiness?
Click to access 2016_bq_student_g4_core_p.pdf
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This is data collection to a) sell (more) technological products to the testee or the school or the district; b) label schools/teachers as failures if the kids feel they don’t fit in, etc., and c) personality testing to pidgeon-hole kids and label them to weed out loners, or future shooters, and the like. Its very “Minority Report” in its questions.
I don’t even like when the Census collectors come to my home; I feel it as an imposition – and by law, if you don’t answer, they keep coming back and gently threaten to fine you!
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Yes, Donna, the reasons for these questions are not anything that is going to help the kids that may need help, it’s all going to go into a big database.
And that is extremely objectionable. Both from a privacy standpoint, and as something that is meant to punish schools and teachers. As well as sell yet more tests to school districts. 😦
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Laura… I have a “Modest Grit Proposal”
I guess drug addicts would score very high on the “grit” radar because like in your item #27, they usually stick to a long term goal of getting high and are incredibly good at persisting at it. Maybe we should start giving our nation’s children hard core drugs so they can become addicted and learn what “grit” is! They will have to work hard to stay high, they will have to work even harder to find the funds to secure the drugs and then the real “grit” prize… the prize that gives them top grit scores… this will be overcoming their addiction. Wonder if Coleman is lobbying drug companies now to set this “perfect scheme” into place to legalize heroin for “test score” augmentation purposes only. Some of you might be thinking that kids are being fed ritalin but… what possibly could be better than a heroin addiction at a young age to instill the importance of grit.
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Next new dietary supplement: 500 mg grit capsules TID!
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Only if they think they can make some money from this, Duane.
It’s all about the benjamins.
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