Raising The Grade: Grading the state tests

One Oklahoma lawmaker says she's disgusted at how the state grades your child's test. She says it appears the required state exams are graded on a curve. And she raises the question to News on

Thursday, May 6th 2004, 10:26 am

By: News On 6

One Oklahoma lawmaker says she's disgusted at how the state grades your child's test. She says it appears the required state exams are graded on a curve. And she raises the question to News on 6 reporter Tamara Pratt, â€˜is that the best we can do to Raise The Grade?â€™

It's a normal day for Carolyn Taylor, her goal; teach science to her 5th graders. â€œWe know what objectives we are supposed to teach." Now she hopes enough of her students retained what they learned to pass the state mandated test. But what is passing? Oklahoma has four levels and the label "satisfactory" is the accepted standard. But this is where one legislator speaks up.

State representative Joan Greenwood of Moore: â€œWell one year satisfactory may be 15 out of 36 questions correct. The next year it might be 20 questions out of 36 correct." And that she claims leads to a lack of accountability.

Her complaint is with the process called standard setting, a commonly accepted practice around the nation in interpreting test scores. According to a fax from the State Department of Education, committee members are selected by the department from a statewide pool of educators. Those educators take the test and determine the worth of a question and what would make it more or less difficult than others. Then the committee sets what is labeled satisfactory.

Greenwood argues that process fails the students. "When students take the test they're not required to get 100% in fact they can get as low as 40% of the questions correct and still be considered proficient. And that is the problem. I have that we're not holding the school system, the state public education accountable to at least reach those minimum proficiencies with a majority of the children."

Greenwood says she tried to change the way the state determines "satisfactory", her bill failed. Back in the classroom, teachers say the process doesn't affect how or what is taught. Taylor: â€œI never knew that but I will tell you that if it does fluctuate, if it does fluctuate for everyone then I think it would be fair, an ok thing."

It's considered a tool on one side, a deterrent on the other. Now the question is, do students suffer when "satisfactory" changes? That's information the News on 6 is still trying to find out.