We give our third graders so many tests that it seems like that’s all we do! Our county asks us to give Measures of Academic Performance (MAP) 3 times a year and Common Formative Assessments (CFA) even more often. We also administer STAR tests in reading and math. These are in addition to weekly tests and final cumulative tests every grading period. Oh, there’s also that little test we call the CRCT. We have so much test data that we cannot possibly use it all. It’s good for our SST meetings, though, and we use that knowledge to write RTI strategies and grade-level goals. No one wants to come to the third grade because of the stress! I want to move to the western Pacific where intelligence is measured through “socially responsible actions.” I wonder how often they give report cards!
I like alternative assessments, but they take time — time to prepare, time to administer, and time to assess. I like asking open-ended questions. I like student interaction and exploration. I like the quote on p. 240, “When others can witness and then respond to one’s work, assessment occurs and learning continues.” I also like the idea of student portfolios that show growth and allow the students to evaluate their own progress. Maybe one day we’ll move away from so much testing, but that won’t happen until the entire state of Georgia has better test scores. Oh me, oh my!
