Inside the Board of Education not your moms test wriiten by Frances Foley

INSIDE The BOARD Of EDUCATION

NOT YOUR MOM’S TEST

Not Your Mom’s Achievement Test
By Frances C. Foley, May 2006.

In the 1960’s the Iowa Test of Basic Skills was an ordinary multiple-choice test. The student had a question booklet, an answer sheet and a number 2 pencil. I wrote my name on all portions of the test as directed by my teacher. The test was taken in timed sections for math, language and reading by filling in circles on the answer sheet. I have no idea what my scores were on those tests.

Abe Krisst from the Division of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment, at the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), was asked about the Iowa tests that I took as a child. At that time each district decided what tests to administer and performed their testing independently from the CSDE. I asked how the Iowa Test compared to the Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT). He replied that "it’s like comparing apples and oranges, they are not equivalent."

In an email interview with Steve Martin, Education Consultant at the CSDE, he said, "The CMT changes about every seven years to keep current with shifts in curriculum and in pedagogy."

In 1985 the state of Connecticut passed a law mandating that the CMT be administered yearly to grades 4, 6, and 8.
The CMT generations have changed in 1993, 2000 and again in 2006.
The 2006 test is the fourth generation of the CMT.
The CMT is not an IQ test.

I asked Mr. Martin if he could highlight the differences between CMT generation 4 and the earliest CMTs.

In 2006 the CMT expanded to include grades 3, 5, and 7.
Barcodes now identify students.
Students now write essays as a part of the test.
New tests added open-ended items in reading comprehension and mathematics.
Current tests do not include listening comprehension.
The next CMT will add a science section to the test.

"The purpose of the test has never changed. Children are tested to see how they compare to the expected achievement level for their grade." Testing below the expected grade level does not mean that child is stupid. It means the child needs to be evaluated more to determine if the CMT score is correct. Students will receive assistance for their learning if further investigation determines a need.